Pass on the Number
by Sephy-Chan
Summary: Aizen created a fail-safe so that his Espada would be replaced by someone stronger if they were to be killed in battle. Ichigo killed an Espada and will now have to face the consequences.
1. BackUp Plan

_Pass on the Number_

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_Ichigo manages to kill Yammy but pays a price for his victory. Aizen has a back-up plan in case one of his Espada Fails. Can Ichigo escape his new fate?_

_Probably OOC ... Srry_

_This doesn't take place in the Bleach time-line, just some theory gone fanfic_ **xD**

_Bleach belongs to Kubo-sensei, I just borrow them (the characters) for a while_ **(n.n)/"**  
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-- -- -- Chapter 01 -- -- --  
Back-up plan  
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The full moon was barely visible through the thick rainclouds, but what happened down on earth was still visible. The park in Karakura was lighted as a single beam of light shone down onto the two figures who had been fighting for a long time.

He was breathing hard and irregular. His opponent - a large figure in white clothes with a hole in the center of his chest, lay on the ground, soaked in his own blood and that of his killer. The large body began to dissolve slowly, and the orange haired figure,dressed in black clothes fell to the ground. Unconscious.

A couple of feet away from the unconscious figure the sky itself ripped open, revealing three figures completely dressed in white."Looks like Yammy wasn't strong enough to beat him ." The brown haired man spoke coldly as he watched the last piece of the large body's disappear into thin air. "Now we'll see if my experiment works."

The shortest of three with green eyes and a horn on the right side of his head walked over to the unconscious orange haired teen and ripped away the clothes on his upper body so that the front of his right shoulder was visible as the figure lay motionlessly on his back.

"There is no number transfer Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra stated.

"There is no need to rush." He walked closer and slowly saw what he wanted to see; the number '10' appearing on the front of the left shoulder - etched into the flesh(1). His smile slightly grew as it appeared. "You know what to do,Grimmjow." He spoke slowly to the teal haired man.

"Yeah yeah." He said as he walked over to the another orange haired figure; this one was identical to the blood covered body and was dressed in normal clothes instead of a black uniform from Japanese history. Unsheathing his blade as he came closer he stabbed the body, the bones beneath the skin broke with a almost sickening loud cracking sound.

"Make sure to break that 'seal of approval' as he calls it." The brown haired man spoke casually. Another loud crack echoed through the dark night.

Ulquiorra lifted up the body of the black clothed and bloodied teen, and opened up the air itself again – revealing a dark gate that led back to the white castle where they came from. "Shall I take him to the special room Aizen-sama?" Aizen nodded and Ulquiorra left through the portal he just opened.

"You know what to do when the shinigami arrive." Aizen told the teal haired one as he followed the green eyed Espada into the darkness. The gate closing afterwards.

Not long after the boy's abduction two other shinigami arrived, one with red hair and a white bandana, and a short raven haired girl – both dressed in the same black uniform. "Ichigo!" the red yelled at the sight of the mutilated body of his orange haired friend.

"So you're finally here." Grimmjow said with a smirk, his hands and face smeared with blood.

"He tasted quite good – for a shinigami."

"You... _ate _him...?" the short haired girl said unbelievingly.

The red-head drew and released his zanpaktou; "Howl! Zabimaru!" and lashed out on the teal haired figure who stopped the blade with his bare hands before he blew the whip-like blade back with acero, destroying it in the process.

"Renji!" The short girl yelled as she ran at him, but he stopped her.

"Rukia, go warn the others, I'll try and keep him here - GO!" He heaved, uncertain as to how long he would be able to stop the enemy.

Rukia froze as he started yelling, not knowing what to do, Ichigo was dead, Renji was about to die; she didn't want to run, but she had to. Turning around ran away as fast as she could. She would have to find Hitsugaya-taichou or someone else. She cursed the hollow that destroyed her phone earlier that day.

"Now I won't have to hold back." Renji grinned at the Arrancar. "There's no way Ichigo would lose so easily to someone like you. He would have used BanKai and gone to Soul Society _if _he died." The other picked something up and threw it at the red head. Who recognized the broken gold seal on the ground. "That's!" He didn't want tobelive his eyes. "..his seal of approval... How did you get that!?"

"I took it from him before he could use it, making it almost too easy to eat his soul." He started laughing. "But I've had enough for today," He opened up the same rift in the sky as the other ones before him - and walked into it. "Time to go home and clean up." The tear repaired itself and he was gone – just before the back-up troops from Soul Society arrived.

"Abarai! Where is he?" A short white haired captain asked him as soon as he was in range and scanned the area.

"Gone, just as that Arrancar said before. He broke Ichigo's seal, that thing he used to get out of his body, before he was able to use it." He was angry and didn't bother to hide the anger and frustration in his voice. "He saidIchigo tasted good, better than expected. So he's gone... just like that!" He screamed out in frustration and fell to his knees and started slamming on the ground with his fist.

The rain started falling, making everyone that wasn't protected from it drenched with water.

"Ichigo!" Yelled a somewhat known voice to Rukia who spun around to see Ichigo's father, Isshin, standing there. In a shinigami uniform, a torn captain's coat strapped to his left arm.

"Ah-" She gasped and pointed at the new arrival in shock. "You, you're..."

"You know that shinigami, Kuchiki?" The white haired captain asked, as he kept his hand on his zanpaktou.

She nodded. "It's Ichigo's father."

A shock swept through all shinigami present at the scene. Ichigo had _his own_ shinigami powers – inherited through his father, a former shinigami captain. That made Ichigo a real shinigami, and not someone who uses power he stole, lost, and somehow regained.

"Ichigo!" Isshin yelled as he saw the body of his son; stabbed, mutilated and deformed, limbs twisted in unnatural directions. Blood pooled all around him, eyes lifeless and soulless. The face stared blankly at the sky, face twisted in horror. He shook his son, trying to wake him, but the body just shook in all directions like a rag doll. "Ichi..go.." His voice broke, and tears fell from his eyes as he held the body of his oldest child close to him - unable to deal with the loss. "Who did this…" He was angry; his voice shook with uncontrolled anger and sadness. He wanted revenge for his murdered son.

"The Arrancar with teal hair and the number '6' tattoo on his lower back." Renji said as he walked closer to the broken man and wanted to place his hands on the others shoulder, only to have it slapped away.

"No – I should arrange his funeral and find a way to tell his sisters that their brother was killed by monsters during a unseen war. "He stood up;Ichigo's body in his hands like a bride and left with a shunpo.

"We should go and inform Soul Society." Hitsugaya told the group who was still speechless after the loss of their friend. "Abarai, take the remains of his 'seal of approval', That way we can determine if that Espada was telling the truth. And it can be dangerous in hands of humans." He turned around and opened the gate back to Soul Society.

Every member of the group looked back to the large puddle of blood – thinking of how bravely the teen must have fought, and the fact that he was just 16 years old. Their friend and war comrade was just killed; this is a huge loss for Soul Society in the war. The power the boy held would be hard to replace.

-- -- -- --

A few days later the funeral for the orange haired teen was held. The shinigami arrived in their spirit form, knowing they would be seen by most. Ichigo's blond sister Yuzu was crying, still crying, first her mother, now her brother. She knew she had to live on - but without her cocky brother it would be even harder.

Karin didn't fair much better, she cried, even through she didn't cry since her mother died. But she was certain that the shinigami had something to do with it. He brother was one - she knew. Even though he didn't confirm it. Walking up to one of the shinigami she saw before; Rukia. "Hey," She looked at the raven haired girl who turned around, ready to cry, before she sat down on her knees and pulled her close.

"I'm so sorry. If we were only a bit sooner…" She sobbed as the walls she worked so hard to create crumbled slowly as she realized she cared more for the teen that she thought. Her emotions were showing clearly, something that ashinigami didn't need. "If we were just a bit sooner, he wouldn't need to have..." she broke off, unable to say the word, still not wanting to believe it.

"Just tell me how it happened, and who did it." She wanted to know what happened, she wanted to know who it was. She was being kept in the dark from the start and now she wanted answers.

"That's something you don't need to know." Isshin said quietly as he arrived, and Rukia let go of Karin and stood back up.

"Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?!" She was frustrated and this was the only way to let that known at the moment. "I could seeIchi-nii for a long time! I could see the monsters he fought! I watched him come home all bruised, beaten and broken! I want to know what is going on!"

Isshin hugged his black haired daughter. "I'm sorry you had to see all that... Because of me this family broke apart like it did." Tears flowedfeely again, still unable to accept his loss. He stood up and faced Rukia. "I will ask all shinigami to leave. I still see them as the ones who are partly responsible. If you still want to attend, please come back inside a gigai. That way everybody will be able to see you." He lifted Karin and they waked away - all of them crying.

Rukia couldn't help but feel responsible for everything; she was, after all the one who offered to give him her shinigami powers that awakened his own. Which eventually led to this tragic event. Gathering the remaining shinigami she replied the message Isshin told her.

-- -- -- --

Aizen and Ulquiorra walked out of the garganta, arriving the throne room of the white palace; Las Noches.

"The transfer was a success, now all we have to do is wait for the rest." The brown haired man said in a amused tone.

"The rest?" Ulquiorra asked, not sure what his master meant.

"After the number transfers the subject will loose all memory so it can be retrained as a Espada member. He is strong enough will replace the previous. This way my army will not decrease in numbers. It will only become stronger."

"Why not just capture him and train him then?" He normally wouldn't question his master's plans, but what was the plan with this piece of trash.

"If we forcefully erase his memory there is a 5 percent chance it can return, if we use this method the chance or return is 0.0001 percent." The green eyedArrancar nodded in understanding. "It will work in our advantage, seeing his ' _friends'_ don't want to fight him. Now take him to his new room and make sure he can't cause trouble."

"Hai." The other said stoically and left with teen over his shoulder. He walked through the long white marble hallways – every wall looking identical. The only way to tell where you were, was by the doors with different numbers, or by the occasional 'window', which was just a nicely cut out hole in the outer wall.

After a ten minute walk they arrived at a door numbered 'ex-001'. He opened the door with a simple movement with his hand, and threw the other inside the room. His expression didn't change as he started removing the remaining clothes on the body of the orange haired teens body. He continued until nothing was left - except the black boxers.

There was a faint gleam in Ulquiorra's eyes as he tied the others arms and legs together. He placed a final leather band around the unconscious orange haired teens neck – it was to render the boysreiatsu unusable. He slightly wondered why it was needed, the boy had no control over his power.

-- -- -- --

Ichigo stirred awake when he wanted to wipe the sleep out of his eyes - he quickly found out his arms were tied together by leather bonding that ran from his elbows to his wrists. Confused he looked at the shiny black restraint and then at the rest of his body. His ankles were tied together by thick iron cuffs which were connected by a very short, but thick chain. Shortly after he realized he was sitting in a pure white padded room, with only his underwear on. _'What the hell!'_ he thought as he looked helplessly for a way out. Not finding one he sat back quietly and tried to remember what he did before he woke up here.

'_I fought that Espada… Yammy or something. I won… Then I blacked out… Woke up here…'_ Then the thought passed through his mind that he might have been turned into a hollow and looked at his chest -for how much that was possible– and was glad that he didn't see any hole. Then he noticed something that scared him more, the number "10" was now on the front if his left shoulder. The exact same number and place where that Espada had his.

The chocolate brown eyes filled with fear as he slowly started to get a faint idea of what the brown haired Arrancar leader could be planning to do with him.

"No..." he whimpered silently. "Don't..." Fear filled his mind, closely followed by tears that rolled down from his eyes. He was unable to do anything, he was completely at their mercy. "LET ME GO!" He screamed, his voice shakingslighty , knowing deep down inside that there was was nothing he could do. Screaming was his last line of defense and kept 'fighting' until he didn't have a voice left. After a whole day of screaming he was left hoarse and lying in the middle of the room, curled up into a ball – for how far that was possible.

-- -- -- --

After a week there was no real difference from the moment he was thrown in that white padded room – it was soft everywhere, just so he wouldn't hurt himself or find a way out. _'What are they planning. If they want to turn me into one of them then just do it and get it over with!'_

An almost invisible door opened and a man dressed in white came walking inside the room. His hair wavy and brown, eyes a deep shade of brown and a small sinister grin decorated his face. "Will you join my army of your own free will?" He asked in a deep voice as he reached out his hand.

"Never!" The resolve in his eyes grew as he now saw his enemy. Wanting to attack his enemy he quickly found out that a few days without food or water greatly weakened his body. _'What the fuck?'_

"A human soul becomes weaker when it doesn't get nourished regularly – as you might have noticed. There is a gas in this room that prevents you from feeling hungry, so you couldn't have noticed."

"Bastard." Ichigo growled from his position on the ground looking up to the other man in the room. His eyes widened as Aizen drew his zanpaktou, and released it. "Shatter(2), Kyouka Suigetsu." Not trusting the man at all he kept his eyes wide open to see what the sword would become, but it didn't change at all, not in the slightest._ 'What the..?'_

"I'll show you what happens when you won't agree." Pointing his hand at the door and a blindfolded man with red hair in a black uniform was brought into the room. He was bloodied, beaten and cut by what the teen guessed were swords. The clothes were torn and the red head was obviously in pain.Aizen nodded at a man, with what looked like a skull on his head, who just walked into the room and started pulling on the heavily bleeding right arm of the black clad prisoner.

"Stop it!" Ichigo yelled. "You're hurting him!" He didn't know why but he just kept screaming, even harder than the tortured red haired man. "You're-"

"You know that man?" Aizen asked calmly – interrupting the teens yelling.

The teen lying on the ground fell silent, eyes wide. _'...should I know him? I think I saw him before...'_ doubting himself he looked at the brown haired man. "It doesn't matter, It's-" he began protesting, but stopped when he heard _it._

The red-head screamed out in pain and agony as the arm was forcefully torn free from the shoulder, blood splattered everywhere. The white floor and walls in the room were turning either pink or dark red. He was shaking with fear – not knowing what to do. The smell of iron reached his nose he felt his stomach contents come up his throat, but nothing came. How could it? He hadn't eaten eat anything in a week. Eyes looked at the red haired man that was now either unconscious or dead, he quickly lost consciousness himself.

Aizen sheathed his sword and walked out of the still perfectly white room. "You were watching, Gin?" He asked to the silver haired man leaning against the wall next to the door.

"He screamed awfully loud, didn't he?" The man's grin was almost from ear to ear, his eyes closed. His appearance; fox like. "What did ya show 'im?"

"How a 'friend' lost an arm. But he won't remember it. He'll only remember how to fight."

"Wha makes ya so certain Aizen-san?"

"He didn't even remember Abarai's name as he begged me to stop. He didn't remember that he would be put under my spell when I release Kyouka Suigetsu." Thinking back he saw that the orange haired teen always closed his eyes when he unsheathed his zanpaktou before.

Back in the room the boy had regained consciousness and was beyond confusion. He was certain he saw the man with the red hair before, they talked and fought together – but against what? He couldn't remember.

What confused him even more was that all the bloodstains were gone – just like the door and the strange men in white. He was sure there was _a lot_ of blood and a door. Neither could to be seen – doubting his memory he fell into a uneasy sleep.

-- -- -- --

Hours turned into days, and still no one came, he was left in that soft white room. No one came to see him or give him food. Day after day he kept screaming - wailing for food and freedom. After another few days he was nothing more than a confused orange haired teen in a white padded room, doubting every memory his mind contained. His body had become nothing more than a skeleton with skin and hair - every bone and muscle had become visible through the skin that had become pale, almost white.

An almost indivisible door opened – a man in white clothes and brown hair entered the room. "Do you remember your name?" Came his calm voice.

The teen managed to look the other male in the eye and said in a coarse voice; "Kuro..saki... Ichi..go..." And fell back down on the ground, not noticing the face of the other occupant of the room grin sinisterly.

Aizen snapped his fingers and the restraints vaporized into thin air, leaving the boy on the floor. The black collar remained around his neck, suppressing hisreiatsu. "Bring him some food and water, we don't want our _friend_ starving to death." he was back to using the 'friendly Aizen' that everyone in Soul Society got to know, this made it easier to gain the boy's trust at the moment. Not that the boy would remember this conversation at all.

A man with green eyes and a partial horned mask on his head, dressed in white entered the room and placed down a trey with a glass of water and some dry bread. The teen looked at them with hungry eyes. "Who are you people, why are you keeping me here?" His attention shifted from the white clad men to the food in the room. He just realized how hungry he was.

"You are our friend, and very sick, which is why you are in this room. Food would have killed you and this was the only solution. Now eat, it should be okay now." The orange haired teen didn't wonder why, he just went at the food and started stuffing it into his mouth. "What is the last thing you can remember?"

He didn't answer at first, he wanted to eat all the food, when all was gone, he bowed to Aizen. "Thank you for the food. But... I don't remember you." As he said that he kept praying they wouldn't hurt him. When there was no response he figured it would be safe to talk again. "I remember going to school and on the way home everything becomes a blur."

"Do you remember these people?" The man asked as he showed a picture of various people in black clothes. One of them had red hair, two had white hair, a blond woman with big breasts, a small woman with black hair. Should he know them?

"I don't know them, should I?" He asked worried. But the man shook his head.

"It would be strange if you knew them. You never met them."

"Now wait here until we found a cure for your illness." The man with the brown hair said as he wanted to leave the room, but the orange haired teen grabbed the white fabric of his coat and looked at the man with fear filled eyes. He wanted out.

"How long will that be, that I have to stay here..." He let go, realizing what he just did. "Sorry, I- I just don't know what to do or think anymore... I don't even know how long I've been here." he had become desperate, a broken boy – whose memories were fading day by day.

"Stay in this room and everything will solve itself."

The teen sat back down. "O..okay." He lied down hoping to sleep the time away. Aizen just smirked, how effective it was just to remove a few years of memories. Kurosaki Ichigo was no longer a threat to his plans. Soon he would be an aid for his cause.

-- -- -- --

_A small boy with bright orange hair was running over the wooden floorboards in a karate uniform, his arms outstretched as he ran at a woman with a bright smile and a beautiful face. Jumping into her awaiting arms they both started laughing. On the way back home it started raining. _

"Home...?"

"_Mommy! Let me walk on the road side. I'll protect you!" The young boy said happily to his mother, who smiled gently at him._

"_Okay, I'll protect you, and you'll protect me, All right?" She said gently, as they walked over the wet pavement hand in hand._

"_Mommy?"_

"_What is it hun?"_

"_Don't ever leave me."_

"_Why would I do that? I'll never leave you." Her calm voice puts his mind at ease and the whole world faded to black._

_-- -- -- --_

The orange haired teen in the padded white room sat up screaming as he woke up and looked around, wondering where he was. Come to think of it – who was he? Panic finding it's way into his system he managed to stand up and wobble around the small room, banging on the wall as hard he could with his weakened and frail body. As he was yelling, his voice shook with the fear that he couldn't remember anything at all. "Hey, anyone out there!?"

After hours of yelling he sat back in a corner sobbing, trying to remember what he forgot. Nothing came back.

Slowly a door opened and a man came inside the room. He had brown hair and a white uniform with black edges.

"Who a-are you.." The confused boy stuttered. "Who am I?" His voice was shaking as he spoke.

"You lost your memory during a fight with the enemy. Do as I say and recover your forgotten memories. Do nothing and-" He didn't have to finish his sentence as the boy had grabbed the hem of his long white coat, eyes wide open and wide staring into his own.

"Please.." Ichigo's voice was hoarse from the lack of speaking and the sudden yelling. "...take me out of this room." Pleading was all he had left to do, everything was better than staying in this room.

Placing his own hand on the orange head of hair he knew the boy's future was his to make. The boy didn't have any memories of the past, not anymore. the 'number transfer' took care of that. "Then follow me, if you have the strength to do so." Aizen said calmly before he turned around and left the room. A grin spread across his face as he sensed that the teen got up and tried to follow him, falling to the ground when his body gave up after running out of power to move around.

But he refused to give up and a fire ignited in his eyes as he stood up again and would follow the man who claimed to know of his past. He would do everything he could to regain his lost memories. Clinging to what he did know he made his way through endless white hallways, always seeing the brown haired figure turn around the corner – leading him _somewhere_.

After a couple of hours of falling and getting back up he stumbled into a large square room. Against the wall were several blocks of different sizes. Unknown silhouettes on top of them - looking down at him, several of them smiling for unknown reason. But he didn't care, his resolve made his eyes glow. Seeing the man with the brown hair standing at the end of the room he stumbled towards him, collapsing in front of him. "I made it..." He quietly said to himself, forgetting that he still only wore his underwear.

"You did well to come this far." Holding a glass with a green fluid in front of the orange haired teens face he spoke again. "This drink is the first step to become who you used to be."Aizen motioned that one of the other occupants of the room should help the boy sit up, he didn't have any energy left at all.

A pink haired man appeared behind the skinny boy on the ground and pulled him up by his hair. When the glass was close to his mouth he opened it to consume the drink that was poured into his mouth. The taste was bitter and disgusting, but anything was better than nothing at all. As he swallowed the last bit of the potion the man holding him up disappeared back to wherever he came from, the man in front of him just took a few steps back.

He could feel the liquid quickly spreading through his bloodstream and looked at his hands as his body gained new strength. The fleshy skin tore away as the white steel skin underneath grew and became bigger than his own hands. Knowing deep down inside this was strange for a human being he felt that it was somewhat normal for him, that he went through this whole process before and welcomed the power that started surging through his system.

The moment his hands had become lethal claws he used them to tear away the weak human cocoon he called 'skin'. Starting at his chest he clawed it away, revealing a broader and muscular one with a perfect circular hole in the middle of the upper body. The hole went straight through his body, it was strange. It felt normal to have a hole like this, he couldn't explain it, nor did he want to. He was certain now, he belonged here and the man with the brown hair wasn't lying.

A shooting pain the his spine lasted for only a second before it grew in length and covered itself with muscles and white steel skin; creating a mighty tail that swung around like a cat's when challenging another. In the corner of his eyes he could see someone with teal colored hair drawing his sword, answering the silent challenge. Unfortunately for both, the teal haired one was stopped by someone with a horn on his head. _'Too bad, I wanted to try out my new power.'_ he thought eagerly as he could feel his shoulder blades turning into spikes.

The spikes multiplied until there were five running from the top of his shoulders to halfway across his back. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, enjoying the feeling of power coursing through his body, especially after he had felt so weak. His toes bent strangely, grew in length, and became razor sharp. The human skin was broken, torn beyond repair as his new body grew underneath. The orange haired teen didn't care – he was becoming stronger.

When he opened his eyes again they had reversed in color. The white had become black and the chocolate brown changed to eerie yellow. The world around him seemed sharper then ever before, his nose could _smell_ how many people there were in the room and who was the strongest.

He felt something in his throat, coming out his mouth and hardened on the outside of his face. At first he thought he was going to suffocate, but when the same white substance came from his tear canals he managed to stop the gaging noises that came without his permission. As the mask was now complete his arms, face, legs and tail started burning, looking at the back of his hand he saw black lines appear in a wavy pattern. The same with his legs and tail – which ended in a black tip.

Shaking his head could feel his hair tickle on his back and realized it must have grown in length, ending at the base of his black and white tail. Breathing air in his renewed lungs he felt like he could take on the world. Moving every limb to see if it would function and move according to his will. Turning back to his master he bowed. "I thank you for returning my power, I know now that I belong here." He kept his head down, looking at the ground until his master told him otherwise.

"Follow me so we can continue with the next stage of recovering your memories." Aizen told the now complete hollow in front of him, who looked up and stood up to follow. But fell forward as soon as he wanted to take a step forward.

"What the - ?" The orange haired hollow grunted in his twisted voice as he did his best to move. "I can't move..." He was confused, he felt so strong – what was going on?

"So this is your limit," his master stated calmly. "Two weeks without any _proper_ food or training would do that to almost anyone." Turning around he faced a dark corner, "Loly, Menoly."(3) Two children like Arrancar came walking from the darkness, a unconscious figure with messy black shoulder length hair in a black shinigami uniform. The figure was thrown on the ground before the hungry hollow and slowly regained consciousness.

Droopy looking eyes slowly opened and registered a orange mop of hair. "Ichigo-san?" He asked, wondering if he had been in a fight and hurt again.

"Your food is already in front of you and you don't even eat? Is it that disgusting?" Aizen spoke to his new pet – which started to move, closer to his food. Driven by his hunger.

The man in black bolted complete awake at the sound of the man's voice and turned around. "A...Aizen...Taichou..." His voice was shaking, just as his body. Sweat dripped from his forehead as the spiritual pressure increased. Turning around he came face to face with hungry gold black eyes staring at him through the white bone mask with the slightly parted sharp teeth. It was breathing heavily – it was hungry.

"Yamada Hanatarou." Aizen said to the trembling man, "Being eating by the one you tried to help. Fitting, don't you agree?" A sinister smile played on his lips as he saw the hollow open his mouth further, reaching out his his claws.

Hanatarou turned around, but it was already to late – he looked straight into the throat of the monster, which closed its mouth around his neck. The body fell to the ground, the heart still pumping blood to the now missing head causing it to flow freely from the bleeding wound. The moment the hollow had 'swallowed' the head he went down on all fours before he started licking away the still warm crimson liquid with his blue/green tongue. The rest of the body was eaten quickly after.

Smirking when the whole body was gone - even all the blood that had stained the marble floor. The orange haired hollow ate every inch of flesh and drank every drop of blood theshinigami had to offer. He felt even stronger than before, he felt good. He needed more – more food, stronger food, to feel even better.

"Now that you have finished eating, and cleaning my floor. Follow me."

The hollow did what he was he was told and followed his master to the next room. It looked a lot like the previous one, but here stood a black marble pedestal in the center of the room, his master stopping beside it. Glancing around the room he could see everyone from the previous room had followed and was watching from the shadows.

"Sit on your knees on this pedestal and spread your arms." Walking towards the black marble pedestal he sat down as his master told him to. "Don't move until I say so." With that said he reached inside the folds of his white uniform and pulled out a small black stone that seemed to be moving on the inside.

Holding it above the unruly mass of orange hair he began to speak in an ancient and forgotten language. Something that looked like bandages came out of the stone and wrapped itself around the hollows body, tightening and hardening until he looked like a stone statue without too many details. Pouring a quarter of his ownreiatsu in the stone it began glowing like a falling star. The room was blinded by the light and everyone closed his or her eyes. A loud crack broke the silence – the sound of stone being smashed to pieces.

The light faded and the dust cleared. There the boy sat - much the same way he looked when he was still human, just a few alterations. Aside from the fact that he still sat on the pedestal – butt naked.

His left eye stayed the way it had been; inky black darkness with a hungry gold iris – his pupil slim like a snakes. His right eye turned back to the white and chocolate brown it had been before the teen had been 'turned'. A part of the mask remained on the left side of his face; above the left eye and trailing down to the jaw, where four teeth could be seen from the upper jaw only. A black dot with short wavy lines flowing from it was present where his tail had been minutes before. But the things that stood out most was the perfect circular hole in the teens chest, along with his short and spiky unruly orange hair. On the front of his left shoulder was the number '10', burned into his skin – as a reminder of his rank in this army.

The brown haired man looked pleased with the outcome of the ritual. "Now pick up your blade, and become who you once were; Diez(4) Espada, Muerto Fresa.(5)"

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**(1)** _The place where Yammy's has his Espada tattoo. (Manga, Chapter 229-04 (M7 scanlations) Or episode 127)_  
**(2)** Manga c_hapter 171 – Manga-Rain translations/VIZ manga_  
**(3)** _Loly and Menoly – I think they're Aizen's fra__ccion, but I'm not completely sure _**(e.e")  
(4)** 'Diez' means 10 **  
(5) '**_Muerto Fresa' translates to 'Dead Strawberry'  
_

**My Ramblings/Sort of Diary;**  
**(1) **Maybe a bit shorter than expected... Next one will be longer, I hope.  
**(2) **It's annoying/hard to write like this, I'll probably go back to the way I usually write.. (maybe subconsciously)  
**(3) **Aizen's plan has as flaw. The number transfer only works on someone who already is partly hollow, like Ichi. So it wouldn't work on Renji or other shinigami. It would work on the other Vaizards.

_**Please leave a Review!!**_


	2. Forgotten Reunion

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_Pass on the Number_

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  
_Ichi got the number 10 because he was the one to kill Yammy and get his number. He stays at a low rank (despite his power) for the simple reason that he isn't someone who gave his loyalty to Aizen. (Not after he lost his memories and was manipulated) So it's more to keep him in line and be certain. (It's too much of a hassle to change the numberings)_

_Inoue isn't captured in this fic - I don't like her, and this fic doesn't fit in the manga timeline anyway. Now that I thnk about it_

_NOTE: The way I Ichi see is with a white coat, like the one Dante has in Devil May Cry 3, dunno why (Bare chested!! _**xD**_)_

_I know - **I AM**__ lazy_

**Disclaimer: _I do not own bleach, Kubo-sensei does.  
_**-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

_-- -- -- __Chapter__ 02 -- -- --__  
Forgotten Reunion  
__-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --_

Aizen had told his other nine espada to treat their newest member like they would an old friend. He might suspect something is he was called 'newbie' or something in that direction. Just to be on the safe side.

"What kind of attack was that?!" A man in white clothes, teal hair and a bone mask with sharp teeth on his right jaw yelled at a orange haired teen also in white clothes. "You were stronger before!" It was a lie. The boy had been far weaker before he had become a Arrancar. Even if Grimmjow didn't want to acknowledge it himself – he was having a hard time winning the sparring matches the ten Espada held underling to keep in shape and get stronger.

Muerto Fresa; as the orange haired one was now called, didn't seem to notice the problems the other one had. When he was still a shinigami he never noticed anything, not conscious anyway. The pace he learned new abilities was frightening fast, it had been fast – but ever since he had been 'turned'(1) it only increased, just like all of his other abilities.

"Just pipe it Oldtimer!" Muerto yelled at his opponent. "I just got my memory back three months ago, cut me some slack!" Dodging another cero and a sword slash he landed on his feet and almost fell backwards.

"Just my point," Grimmjow whispered, he used sonido(2) and was now standing behind the Diez Espada. Cutting across the others back he continued; "You got your memories back three freaking months ago! Remember how to release your true from already,"

"Then how do you explain that I can't remember it, even after all this time!?" firing a bala(3) he managed to hit the teal haired one full in the face. "Eat that!" He shouted before falling backwards, unconscious to the floor.

Grimmjow looked at his own wounds before walking, more like limping, over to Muerto. "The only reason I won is because you used all your power from the start and used it all up too fast." Sighing he looked at the wounds on the orange haired teen – they were already healing. _'Tch, even when he's unconscious his body still heals everything..'_ Grumbling he picked up the body of his sparring partner and left the room.

"He's really something isn't he?"

"What do you want?" he answered irritated. It was the pink haired Arrancar, Octava(4) Espada – Szayelaporro Grantz.

"Nice as always Grimmjow. I meant his ability to heal," Circling the teal haired one he studied the teens face. "Not your pleasant bedside manner." A sword came swinging at his midsection but he calculated that response and was already out of range. "Guess the kitty doesn't feel like playing today," Szayel taunted before leaving.

Cursing Grimmjow turned around and headed for Muerto's room. They were all ordered to stay fit and in shape until further notice. How Stark kept in shape was a mystery to him, but not one he just had to know.

Muerto's room was basically the same for every other Espada. Lower ranked Arrancar all had the same room, same furniture, lay-out – everything. But the 'Numeros', better known as Espada had the same basic uses, shower, window, carpet, sofa, desk; but they also had a sleeping place (bed) that would fit their hollow nature. Muerto just had a normal bed. Grimmjow had a large round cushion in his room, and somehow balls of wool or yarn were found in his room every so often. He _never _would admit it, but he played with them. The question remained – who got him those things? Ichimaru Gin flashed through his mind, but that pink haired bastard Szayel as well. He didn't really care either way, not that he let anyone in his room anyway.

Throwing the unconscious one on his bed Grimmjow couldn't help but grin at the thought that the other made a complete turnaround. But the grin faded when his wounds started to ache again._ 'It looks like the wounds aren't that deep,'_ he though as he poked a diagonal cut from his left shoulder to his right hip. _'I bet he somehow uses his reiatsu to lengthen the reach of the blade. Question is; does he know what he's doing?'_ Not liking to think much Grimmjow left the room and went to the infirmary to get his wounds healed.

After his wounds were gone he headed back to his own room; he was planning to clean and sharpen his own sword, Pantera. It had been used in bloody combat; cut through flesh, clashed with Muerto's nameless blade and walls or pillars.

"Grimmjow!"

Turning around he saw one of his own fraccion(5) approaching fast. IllForte Grantz, Szayel's younger brother. He had long blond hair. "What?" He grunted, he was tired, hungry and wanted rest.

"Aizen-sama asked us to inform you he wants to talk to you about Muerto's progress."

Sighing he shoved his hands in his pocket and headed in the opposite direction of his room without another word. His large poofy cushion was so close.

Knocking on a large black door with a gold number 'I'(6) carved in it. A deep voice came from the other side, "Come." Pushing the door open he bowed for his master.

"I was told you wanted to talk to me."

"Yes, take a seat," the teal haired man sat own opposite the brown haired one. "How is our youngest Espada progressing these days?" his voice was as it always had been – hard to make out what he was really thinking.

"He's growing stronger in a steady pace, but I think he isn't aware of half things he does during combat." Aizen remained quiet, "He uses all his energy in the beginning of the fight and loses. If he were able to understand that and use it better, he'd become even stronger."

"I shall talk to him about that." Taking a sip of his tea, he put the cup down on the table again. "What are your thoughts on his power level, compared to his ranking?"

"If he manages to get a better control of his own power and learn how to use it evenly he could easily be ranked 5 or higher."

"I see, that was all." Grimmjow stood up, bowed and was about to leave the room. "What about his healing capabilities?"

"His body heals even when he's unconscious." Aizen just nodded and he quickly left before he headed back to his room.

Aizen did this with every Espada Muerto fought against, analyzing his power, potential and abilities. But most of all he was interested in the 'instant regeneration', and how it could be used on others, that would be a huge advantage in the upcoming battle against Soul Society.

-- -- -- --

After the death and funereal of the substitute shinigami, Kurosaki Ichigo, Soul Society resumed its normal routine. Granted; the boy was powerful, stronger than most shinigami – but there was no time to grief. Aizen could attack any time he felt like, he had proven he had the manpower to do so. Attacks on the real world were still common, even Espada were sent to cause trouble or measure the current force of everyone there.

This had been just a deception – a facade to elude the foolish shinigami. He did sent his strongest to see what the others were planning, but it would have been far to strange if after the death of just one shinigami he stopped attacking. Keep the ignorant shinigami busy while he made sure his newest Espada was ready for combat when the time came.

Even almost four months after the boy's death Rukia was having a hard time trying _not_ to blame herself for the incident. She _knew _Ichigo wanted the power she awakened in him, she _knew _he would one day find his own power – even without her. Every time she would enter that train of thought she'd go back to Soukyoku hill, the place where he saved her life. The same place Aizen betrayed Soul Society and became their enemy.

Pulling her small knees to her chest she formed a small black rock, looking out over Seireitei. Wondering what he would say if they saw her like this – Not only Ichigo, Shiba Kaien as well. She though of herself as a curse, everyone that bore resemblance to Shiba Kaien was doomed to die. Burying her head between her knees she softly started crying, no one would look for her here.

"Oi! Rukia!"

Her raven haired head snapped up. _'Renji! How did he find me here!?' _standing up she wiped away her tears and turned around to see her childhood friend. "Renji, wha-" But stopped talking when he saw his concerned face. "Ren...ji?"

Without any warning he embraced her, pulling her small frame against his strong chest. "Did he really mean that much to you?" Before he allowed the small girl to form a sentence he spoke again. "I see you every so often sitting there, crying. Even now, your eyes are still teary and red." Holding her at arms length distance he looked straight into her dark blue eyes. "He's gone, Rukia. Am I not strong enough to comfort you, to heal you in some way?"

Then she broke into a sobbing against the black folds of his shinigami uniform.

"You don't have to pretend, I know you miss Ichigo. Heck, we all do. The other captains just see it as a loss of power. But they don't know the way he was in person." Wiping away her tears he stood back and watched as the girl wiped her tears with her sleeve and stared back into his reddish brown eyes.

"Thank you Renji," turning around her gaze traveled towards horizon of Soul Society. "I think I'll be able to put the past behind me. I know you're here to catch me when I fall back into the past,"

"Yeah.." The red was lost in thought when he remembered why he had come here in the first place. "Ukitake-taichou was looking for you. Which reminds me – Kuchiki-taichou will have my head if I don't show up for duty 10 minutes ago!"

"Then you'd better hurry," Rukia chuckled as she saw Renji run off in the direction of her brother's office. Turning around she went towards the office of her own captain.

Arriving there she made sure her eyes weren't red anymore before she knocked on the door announcing her arrival. The door was opened by her captain. He was a man of normal length and had long silvery white hair and gentle and white face. He was loved by all – but he was a very sick man as well. "Ah, Kuchiki. Come in," He held the door open and allowed her inside. "The reason I asked you here was to continue with these reports, while I have to attend a captains meeting." He did notice her eyes but said nothing – he knew it had been hard for her. Hopefully she'd forget her problems if she was busy.

"Ah, Ukitake-taichou-" Rukia stammered, "Isn't this work for seated officers?"

"You can't do it?" He asked surprised.

"Ah yes, but-"

"Then there is no problem is there?" waving happily he left the office, leaving the petite girl to the paperwork. There was no captains meeting to attend, he needed a break. 'Using' his subordinates like this was against his personal rules. The loss of Kurosaki Ichigo had been harder on him than he had let on. He had asked if the boy could become his Vice-captain one day, he was the spitting image of Shiba Kaien, not just his looks; his personality too. The members of his division would feel safe with someone like that.

After wondering Seireitei for about an hour he headed for the Soukyoku hill – a place no one came unless it was needed. The hill was avoided, seen as a place of treason, a place where only those with evil intention would tread. Thus making it a quiet place to think.

-- -- -- --

In Hueco Mundo Aizen had summoned two of his Espada to his throne room. Diez and Sexta – Muerto and Grimmjow knocked on the door to the room they were expected. Their master opened the door and allowed them to enter and take a seat. "I have a mission for the both of you."

The orange haired one sat up a bit straighter at the word 'mission', it was his first mission since he had lost his memory and regained his stolen power; as Aizen had called it.

"You are to go to Seireitei and see if there are any 'threats', or strong souls that a worth 'turning'. Take them back, _if _there are any." a smile played on the brown haired mans face as the orange haired one seemed to be burning with a question. "Something wrong, Muerto?"

"If there are none, can we eat some of them? I forgot the taste of shinigami, all I remember is the way Menos or other weak hollow taste." He looked bitter at the memory of trying to eat a Menos Grande – it felt like eating a dead tree. They may be big and have reiatsu, but they're brainless, weak and have no blood, which means; no taste.

Expecting this question he just smiled at the youngest of the two. "Only when there are no others, it would be very annoying if they found our base, and our _rooms_." Glancing to Grimmjow he could see the man was determined not to show anyone his room – friend or foe. "Was that all?"

Both Espada stood up, bowed to their master and left the room, heading outside of the white palace. It was a rule Aizen had made – when going to the real world or Soul Society open a garganta(7) in the middle of the desert, if shinigami decide to follow it would be fun to watch if they would ever manage to reach Las Noches. Arriving in the middle of nowhere, the white castle nowhere in sight Muerto had to open the gate – he had to try and learn how. Lucky for both of them he opened it perfectly on the first try and stepped through.

On the other side they stood atop of a hill, looking out over the whole capital of Soul Society – Seireitei." Nice place to enter, deserted with a great view. Not bad for ya first time Muerto." He slapped the orange haired one on the back of his head. "Now let's see where the strongest stay – if we find that we can see if they're worth of being our 'allies'."

"When they're not worth of being turned by Aizen-sama we can go and try to eat them, right?" Muerto asked, practically drooling at the idea of eating something delicious for a change.

"Only if they're alone, ya know what Aizen said." The teal haired one said annoyed as he tried to sense who had the biggest reiatsu.

"Why not draw them out by starting a fight? I feel like killing someone or something," The orange haired Espada said in a bored tone, hands behind his head.

"That'll become fucking annoying when they come at us with 10 BanKai's-"

"Just find the strongest one already," it sounded like he was whining.

"Then start searching too!" Grimmjow barked back at his partner.

"You know I'm not the best when it comes to sensing reiatsu, I'm training my ass off back home!" Muerto yelled at the other.

"Ichigo-kun?"

Both Espada turned around to look at the new arrival. A shinigami, long silvery white hair and a long sleeved white coat. He looked surprised to find them there to say the least, as if he saw a ghost. Grimmjow was the first to break the long silence of staring between Diez Espada and the Gotei captain. "So," putting his hands back in his pockets, assuming a cocky position. "You're a captain, am I right?"

But before Ukitake could answer Muerto started laughing, high pitched with a insane twist to it. Directing his mismatched eyes towards the captain he just grinned. "Hey Grimmjow, we're alone, with _one shinigami _right?"

"So?"

"Does it mean I can eat?" Despite both being Espada, Grimmjow held the higher rank, so to prevent punishment from their master he had to ask if he was allowed to.

Ukitake didn't believe what he was seeing and hearing. Kurosaki Ichigo was still alive – but he was different than before. His cloths were white; like that of a Arrancar. Taking a better look at the former shinigami he could see a pair of mismatched eyes, a partial mask on his face and A hole in the teens chest. What had Aizen done to the innocent boy who just wanted to protect his family and friends? "Ichigo-kun, what happened to you?"

Muerto was confused, "I think you're getting senile old shinigami." A grin played on his lips as he pulled away a part of his uniform to reveal the number '10'. "I'm Diez Espada, Muerto Fresa." he said proudly and Grimmjow stepped forward.

Ukitake remembered Renji's report about the Arrancar that supposedly ate Ichigo; teal colored hair, short white vest with rolled up sleeves, a hole above his hakama and a tattoo with the number 6 on his back – which he couldn't see at the moment, but the rest of the description fitted perfectly. "I thought you ate Ichigo, yet he stands next to you. Explain!" He yelled the best as he could when he drew his zanpaktou to defend himself if necessary. But the orange haired one was gone.

"Are you sure you're a captain?" Muerto asked bored. He was standing back to back with the silver haired captain. "Could you even see me move?" No response came, "Please tell me you can sense my reiatsu at least," His tone was becoming more agitated the longer the conversation continued.

Grimmjow just stood there – grinning how the teen was verbally attacking his former friend. But there was something else; Muerto had a bad temper. He was quick to start a fight and regularly get punished by Aizen himself. Grimmjow didn't know what the 'punishment' meant, all he knew was that it must hurt like hell. All he ever heard from _that _room were screams of agony and pain. After the Diez Espada was punished he would stay in his room for a few days. No one knew why or bothered to ask, he would just get annoyed and start another fight.

When Ukitake didn't answer the question, simply because he didn't sense or see anything at all, he realized the rest of Seireitei wouldn't feel the enemy at all. At the same time he felt a strong leg connect with his ribcage and was launched forward, against one of the two remaining Soukyoku pillars that remained after it was almost destroyed almost a year ago.

"I suppose that white coat of yours is just decoration, or a freaking cosplay coat!" Now it happened, he was angry and violent. "I was told that the captains of the Gotei were strong, but you – you're just weak!" He said with a raised voice that showed frustration and anger at his prey. Walking closer he sensed the other raising his reiatsu and smiled his creepy grin. _'Go ahead, call the others-'_ he thought greedily.

The teal haired one walked forward to the sitting and half bleeding man wanting to prevent his reiatsu outburst. But Muerto stopped him. "Why?" But his question was answered when he looked at the eager eyes of the orange haired one. _'Too late... Once he gets like this he won't stop till he has his fight.' _Sighing he stepped back and allowed his partner to play with his food.

Once he raised his reiatsu high enough for others to sense it before he started to cough up blood, much to the annoyance of the orange haired Espada who grabbed the shinigami's throat and lifted him from the ground with one hand slowly choking him. Feet dangling above the ground. "I just hope for your sake that others show up to try and save you." His voice was like venom, ice cold and emotionless. "If not, I have to take my frustrations out on you – but I doubt your body would last that long."

"Remember the mission Muerto!" Grimmjow said as he felt various shinigami come to the hill after sensing one of their captains reiatsu one minute and not the next. "Time to test the whole lot at once I guess." Now he was grinning too, doing nothing got him irritated.

Within a heartbeat the two Espada were surrounded by at least thirty other shinigami, more on their way. Renji was one of the first to arrive and ran at Grimmjow when he recognized the teal haired one, wanting to get revenge for eating a close friend who was defenseless. He just smirked as the red head came running at him, BanKai already summoned and ready to strike. Members of the 13th and 4th Division ran over to Ukitake who was lying on the ground; bleeding and unconscious.

A split second before the shinigami arrived Muerto had dropped his weak prey and took his place on top of one of the remaining pillars. Looking down he saw a red haired one running at his partner, the sword changing – taking the shape of a giant bone snake. Trying to sense the red's reiatsu didn't work all that great and decided to use the way he liked best; fight. Using a simple sonido was all he needed to stand atop the snakes head. Cackling madly he charged a cero, aimed between his feet, and fired.

The moment something landed on Zabimaru's head Renji was distracted and looked up before returning his gaze to the teal haired one. "You're not alone!?"

"I never said I was, retard." Grimmjow said grinning and wondering what the red would do when he saw the other one. Especially since he seems so emotional about the whole thing.

Zabimaru's head exploded and Renji lost control. "Is that really all the power a BanKai has?" Muerto asked as he scratched the back of his head.

Shinigami froze – they knew that voice! "Ichigo?" Renji asked uncertain at the cloud of dust and sand that had been whirling around since the explosion. "Ichigo, it's you righ-" A slim metal blade was held against his throat out of nowhere making him stop talking and moving. When he heard Rukia gasp, he knew he was right.

"What is it with you shinigami? First the old guy down there," He used his free hand to make a vague movement towards the unconscious captain. "And now you. Who the fuck is that Ichigo anyway? I mean 'strawberry' what kinda name is _that!_" Withdrawing the blade he kicked the dazed red in his back, making him fall to the ground – face first.

He responded like he usually would do with his orange haired friend, jumping back up start scolding him about why he kicked him. But words became entangled in his throat when he saw his former friend. A normal sized zanpaktou, white Arrancar clothes, a partial mask on his face, mismatched eyes and – the hole in his chest. Renji didn't move. Neither did most other shinigami.

Kenpachi arrived at the scene, Yachiru on his shoulder as always. "Look Ken-chan!" the pink haired girl chirped happily as she pointed at the orange head of hair. "It's Ichi!" Jumping from his shoulders to the ground was her way of saying; go ahead, have some fun.

Kenpachi drew his sword and pulled of his eye patch, knowing the others power. Reiatsu surged around him in a torrent of yellow energy, he was smiling. Finally! He had another chance to see of he was stronger than the orange haired one that beat him all those months ago. Without a second thought in his mind the scarred man charged forward, bells in his hair ringing as he went. The others staying clear of the fight, for now.

Muerto turned around and looked at Grimmjow, ignoring the bloodthirsty captain completely. "Why aren't you fighting? We were se-" he began but was interrupted when he dodged a ragged edged blade. "I was busy," he shot that the captain who swung down his blade for a second swing. Dodging the swings was easy, the other Espada attacked at a much faster rate and this was like childsplay to him.

"Come on! Kurosaki Ichigo!" Kenpachi roared at the orange haired teen. "Fight me and show me how much stronger you've become!"

'That damn name again!' Charging a cero with his left middle and index finger he stopped the captains ragged blade with his bare right hand, aimed the cero at the others chest, the exact place where his own hole was and fired – sending Kenpachi flying back into the crowd that suddenly looked a whole lot less eager to fight the Espada. Turning around completely he faced the shinigami, his face clearly showed that he was agitated. "Don't tell me that bell-boy just now was a captain - " Scanning the reactions of the shinigami he saw a bald one running towards the now bleeding and unconscious 'bell-boy'.

"Zaraki-taichou!" he yelled, sounding worried. A second guy followed shortly, Mueto began to wonder if it really was a guy.

"Ikkaku, is he really that badly hurt?" The second 'guy' was even more worried than the bald one. "Who could have done this?" Both men turned their head and saw a face they knew all to well, as well as the power he wields.

The orange haired one advanced towards the unconscious captain and almost every shinigami backed off – not wanting to become the next victim. Grimmjow put a hand on his shoulder to stop his movements. "Don't ya see yet? Those two ya beat just now were captains, which means no one here is worthy of being 'turned'." Slapping the back of Muerto's head again with a flat hand gave a (somewhat) unexpected effect. He got a fist breaking his nose with force and stumbled backwards. "What was that for, asshole!"

"Don't hit me twice-" It had become a rumor at first, hit him once it was okay, hit him twice in the same manner and place and he would start attacking seriously – with the intent to kill. His eyes shone with rage and his reiatsu rose higher as he made his way over to Grimmjow who subconsciously was walking backwards, knowing the other was, most likely, stronger than him.

When both Espada were about a meter apart a massive amount of, what looked like, pink flower petals came raining down on both of them, creating a sphere like object, containing the intruders. Grimmjow was quite lucky with the owner of these pink things. Now Muerto's attention had been redirected. The teal haired one grew bored with the whirling flower. "Enough with the gay-parade already," Firing a bala in several directions didn't make much of a difference. The opening just closed soon after. Getting annoyed rather quick this time he cut his own fingers and charged a Gran Rey Cero (8), aimed at the place where most shinigami stood – and fired.

Screaming and yelling told them he aimed right and the petals moved, but not quick enough to protect their wielder. The shinigami gasped in horror when both Espada were completely unharmed, even after they had been contained by Byakuya's BanKai.

"What was that pink thing just now?" Muerto asked Grimmjow is a slightly amused "I already took a shower before coming here."

"I don't care what it was but that itch I had before is gone. Let's go back, there's nothing of interest here," Muerto nodded and followed his partner who had already opened the garganta. Both walked through, the orange one looking back with disgust at the weak shinigami before the gate closed again. No one moved in to stop them, no one could. Their power was even greater then they could have imagined.

Wounded had to be treated fast, they had sustained internal wounds that were bleeding profoundly. Rukia sank to her knees and screamed as she remembered the look on Ichigo's face before he disappeared again. He was alive, she should be happy. But why did he attack everyone and... Those clothes. Renji had found his power when his childhood friend screamed her lungs out in confusion. "Rukia!" the red yelled as he approached her and embraced her trembling body again.

His strong arms around her body gave her a feeling of safety as she started crying into his robes. "Why... Would he do this..." she couldn't speak his name, not after what she saw, not after she finally got rid of the past he came back to haunt her and the rest of Soul Society.

"I don't know, but he isn't the same as he used to be.." stroking her hair seemed to calm both of them down in the chaos that the men in white left behind. Ukitake was in critical condition, Kenpachi wasn't much better off. Rukia's teary dark blue eyes looked up at his, asking him whet he meant. "You didn't see him up close, did you?" she shook her head. "He's an Arrancar now," She gasped loudly, not sure what else to do. "It probably was Aizen who did it to him, but he didn't recognize me, Ukitake-taichou or even his own name."

"W..Why...?" She couldn't speak anymore, not about this.

"I don't know, but I guess it's because of his power. We all know how strong Ichigo is – he's a threat to Aizen so he probably took control of him. I really doubt he'd go freely... Not with his attitude," Both shinigami chuckled a bit at the good memories they had of the orange haired teen.

Hearing everyone in a panic they released each other quickly blushing furiously. The red went back to retrieve his broken Zabimaru – who gave him a scolding for leaving him behind like that. The short girl headed towards her captain who was now being treated by Unohana-taichou herself, her vice-captain was tending to Kenpachi.

Yamamoto-sou-taichou called all captain and vice-captains who were 'free' to come to the meetings hall. "The rest of you who aren't injured search every inch of Seireitei if there are more of those hollows! Go!" he roared with a powerful voice that rung with age, wisdom and power. The hill was almost empty as everyone did what they were told.

-- -- -- --

In the meetings hall the present captains; Yamamoto, SoiFon, Byakuya, Komamura, Shunshui, Hitsugaya and Kutotsuchi – along with their vice captains.

"Isn't it better to wait for the other captains? I think Ukitake has more information about what happened." Shunshui spoke in his usual lazy way of talking. He was a man with long wavy brown hair tied together in a simple ponytail – a pink oat with flower pattern over his white captains coat. "Why not come back together when everyone is here, with all the pieces of the puzzle."

"I have to agree," the short white haired captain added. "If we want to prevent mistakes we should wait till we have all information is available."

"Understood – this meeting continues when everyone is healed." The old captain hit the wooden floor with his cane and the shinigami left the hall.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -

_**(1) **__Turning 'someone' into a hollow, than Arrancar. (Can also used on shinigami, not only hybrids.)  
__**(2)**__That attack that Arrancar use, faster than cero, less power.  
__**(3) **__How Arrancar call shunpo. (chapter 210)  
__**(4) **__Octava is the 8__th__, Espada in this case. (Pinky!)__**  
(5)**__They are the private soldiers of a Espada, who can choose as many or few as she or he wants.  
__**(6) **__I , the roman number for 1. In my fic Arrancar are numbers, but the three 'leaders' have roman numbers (I, II, III)  
__**(7)**__That portal thing Arrancar use to travel between the real world and Hueco Mundo.  
__**(8)**__That big ass cero he fires in his fight with Ichi (Manga chapter 280)_

_**My Ramblings/Sort of Diary;**__  
__**(1)**__The thing with Grimmy and his kitty cushion was suddenly __**xD**__ I like it though -  
__**(2)**__Gin and Szayel both throw the balls of wool in Grimmy's room. They tape it and have a laugh – until he finds out __**xDD**__ (I wanna see both; the tapes and the moment he finds out)  
__**(3) **__Come to think of it, I have no idea how IllForte calls Grimmjow, he died too fast. But I guess it's just by his name, seeing they go way back.  
__**(4) **__Sorry if renji is OOC...He can be all tough-guy, or wussy like... Annoying guy.  
__**(5)**__Renji and Rukia's convo... I have no idea why it turned out like that... Now Grimmy can have Ichi _**xD**_  
__**(6)**__Ichi is having those 'fight' moments as a leftover from his internal fight with his hollow – Both are now fused together and have 1 mind, 1 body.  
__**(7) **__First chapter was kinda long and I decided to delete something from this fic, something that not everyone likes: yaoi.__  
__**(8) **__Come to think about it, it's better without_**(n.n)/"**

_**Please leave a Review!!**_

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	3. Punishment

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_Pass on the Number_

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Thanks for the reviews as always! (n.n)

For some reason -coughreviewcough- I began to wonder if I should continue posting this fic...

Disclaimer: _I do not own bleach, Kubo-sensei does._

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_-- -- -- -- Chapter 03 -- -- -- --  
Punishment  
__-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --_

Muerto and Grimmjow arrived back in Las Noches earlier then expected. The latter of the two wasn't really fazed by the 'failed' mission – it could happen. Failure wasn't exactly the right word, the mission stated that _if_ there were shinigami strong enough, worthy enough; take them back so they could be 'turned'. No one was strong enough, not strong enough that they would have trouble if Soul Society ever decided to attack.

The orange haired Espada thought otherwise. He wanted to make his first mission outside of Hueco Mundo a great success. He had hoped for a good fight, one where he could prove he was strong and worthy to serve his master as one of the elite. One thing he did; prove he was stronger than the shinigami. But not the way he wanted.

Strolling down the long white marble hallway they did not spoke a single word until they reached the door that led to their masters room – Aizen's room. Muerto knocked on the door. "Enter," the muffled voice came from beyond the door. Opening the door both men walked in and bowed to the man with the wavy brown hair. "You two are back rather early,"

"Our deepest apology!" Muerto almost yelled as he sat down on one knee on the ground, head bowed down to show his respect. "We were unable to find anyone worthy of being turned."

Aizen looked at the one with the teal hair, waiting for a explanation. "Shorty after we arrived some captain showed up, one with long silvery hair," Aizen knew who he meant. "Muerto challenged him, but he was no match for his power."

Looking at his master the orange haired one spoke again. "I allowed him to raise his reiatsu so he could alert others. After that I defeated a BanKai. Another captain, with bells in his hair and we were showered with pink flower petals." He bowed his head down again, expecting some sort of punishment. But non came, daring to look back up he finished his report. "We concluded that the others must be about the same strength and thus not usable in war."

Aizen just smiled as Diez Esapada lowered his head again. "Then your mission is still successful," Muerto looked stood up, uncertain if he heard what his master just told him. "I told not to take anyone back, _unless_ they were strong enough." Both Espada nodded, Muerto deeper than the other. "If that was all..." The orange one nodded and turned around, the other wanted to do the same but was called back by his master. "I want to talk to you, Grimmjow." The orange haired one nodded in understanding and left the room.

Grimmjow spoke up shortly after the door closed, "It's about his memory, right?"

"Correct."

"He didn't remember anything, almost killed the ones that were foolish enough to try and fight him."

"How did he react to his original name?"

"Not – he didn't respond at all. Kept telling them what a strange name 'Strawberry' is for someone." The teal haired one hid his laugh as he could once again see the faces of the shinigami again. "The kid doesn't realize 'Fresa' also means strawberry."

"That aside," Aizen spoke again, this time more to himself than his guest. "This means that Soul Society won't acknowledge him as 'dead', or as a possible ally. Good," Standing up from his seat he motioned that the Espada should follow as he left the room. Once they were on the ever so white hallway the brown haired master sighed. "He's at it again, we'd best hurry before we lose Nnoitra."

-- -- -- --

Walking through the long hall and white hallways of Las Noches the orange haired Espada still wasn't satisfied – he still wanted to fight, to beat his opponent senseless. In Soul Society he didn't find any real challenge and his fight with Grimmjow was interrupted by some no-name, so-called shinigami captain.

"Yo-" a snake-like voice rang through the hallway. "_Pet-chan_,"(1)

Muerto's ears twitched at that voice, he never liked the owner of the voice, not his attitude, not his appearance. Nothing. He didn't turn around; if he did, he would start a 'useless' fight again, and get punished... _again_. "What do you want,"

"Is that any way to talk to your superior?" Walking forward he emerged from the shadow he was standing in, his uniform was white like all the others in this place. The boots were black with a curly tip that ended in a sharp point. Most eye-catching was the dish-like 'thing' behind his head, and the eye patch over his left eye.

"Is that any way to talk to someone you have no authorization over? Spoon," Muerto shot back, trying to sound calm but challenging.

"Are you looking for a fight, again?" The other gave in, knowing that the orange one would be the one getting into trouble if they were caught. "You know you'll lose-"

Muerto turned around and hit Nnoitra full in his face with his balled fist, breaking his nose on impact. Warm red blood covered his knuckles as he watched 'the spoon' get back up his feet, holding his nose, watching his own blood on his hands. His reiatsu rose as did his temper. The orange haired one just smirked as he licked the blood from his hand.

"This doesn't taste as bad as I thought, remind me to eat you after I've killed you!" with that said Muerto leaped at the black haired Quinto Espada(2); eyes filled with hunger and need to beat the other senseless – and perhaps eat. He knew he would get punished later, but right now the only thing in his mind was the taste of the others blood and the urge to have more of that delicious food, even if the owner of said blood looked like a skinny white tablespoon.

Swinging his weapon Nnoitra aimed to slice of the others head, but he missed as the other simply dodged by the use of a sonido. "Is that big ass thing really- _something you should attack with?_" Muerto mocked as he kept dodging and quickly powered up a bala which missed black haired ones head by mere millimeters. The 'headgear' was mostly destroyed by the blast.

Taking a second to realize how lucky he was; was a mistake. Muerto had torn off his eye patch, revealing the hollow hole that went straight though his head, a few teeth adorned the top and bottom(3). Nnoitra's hair had covered the rear end of it so it wasn't visible for others. "You'll pay for that!" The Quinto Espada screeched as he reached for Muerto's clothes.

The orange haired one had other plans. Grabbing Nnoitra's left arm with his own he drew his sword in one fast, fluid motion. The metallic blade cut the air with ease and didn't slow down when it cut through the skin, flesh and bone of the other – just like a hot knife through butter. When the black haired one screeched Muerto jumped backwards, holding the severed arm above his mouth, the blood dripping out of the lifeless limb into his eager mouth. Tongue hanging out his mouth, catching everything that fell near his mouth.

He quickly became intoxicated; the thick crimson liquid was running down his throat. The substance was loaded with reiatsu, stronger than he ever tasted before. He couldn't get enough, he didn't see the axe-like weapon coming his way, nor did he see anything else around him – that was until the arm was ripped from his hands and his face hit the white marble floor.

Grimmjow and their Master had come. The teal haired one had him pinned down against floor on his chest, limbs locked to prevent any struggle. Aizen had stopped Nnoitra's weapon and taken the arm from Muerto's grip. "Take your arm and have it re-attached," he threw the arm to its rightful owner who knew how this would end and left in the direction of the sickbay. Turning to face the orange haired his face showed a hint of anger, "You are aware that this is forbidden." Not only because it would decrease his army, but the taste they would acquire for Arrancar blood – they would use the fights as excuse to eat the other and claim the enemy would have killed them.

Muerto didn't respond, he was still to high from the taste in the inside of his mouth, he should fight more often, cut of limbs. A stab through his spine made him scream his blood curling howl through the while palace halls, the sound echoing through off the walls. As the sword was withdrawn the wound had already healed. He looked up to his master, knowing what sort of punishment would come next. "I understand." His tone was calm, the opposite of the way he talked to Nnoitra or other Espada. But the same way whenever he talked to his master; polite, calm and in complete control of his own actions.

Grimmjow released Muerto from his hold and stepped away, watching how the other got on his feet and followed Aizen to the same room they went every time he broke the rules.

_'Idiot...'_

-- -- -- --

Upon arrival in the room it was till the same as it had been all those previous times he had been brought in here. Still the same circular room white walls, chains tied to the wall leading to the middle of the room where the orange haired one took his place in the center of the room and attached the cuffs that were attached to the floor to his ankles. Removing the clothes from his upper body he waited for his master.

Aizen came walking closer with a syringe that contained a silvery liquid. The orange haired one turned his head to the right, exposing the left side of his neck. He had been through this routine enough times to know what was going to happen and what he was expected to do. The needle pierced his steel skin with ease – it had been created for this purpose. Emptying the inside of the syringe into his bloodstream. Aizen's face was as unreadable as is usually was when he injected his Espada with it.

The potion quickly set out what it was supposed to do inside his body; block his ability to heal his own body when it's broken. This potion was made for him and for this purpose alone. If he were to keep his instant regeneration 'active', he would heal within seconds and render the punishment useless. Walking away he got a new syringe, this one with a fluorescent blue content. Muerto turned his head the other way, allowing his master better access to the left side of his neck, who injected the second potion. He dully noted that the color inside the second syringe was different that before.

This one was always used in this situation or when interrogating suspects. It heightened the senses of the body; a kiss could be three times as passionate – but that wouldn't be the case here. Pain would be ten times as worse, just to made sure the Arrancar in question would never break the rules again. The orange haired one had been the only exception. This was the thirty-fifth time since he had been 'turned' into a Espada; he just wouldn't learn.

Picking up one of the cuffs he walked back to the Espada who held out his arm and allowed himself to be cuffed. His other wrist soon followed the same treatment. Waiting ten seconds till the potion was fully spread through his system he called in a special squad who all wore the same tiger-skull-like hollow mask.

They tightened the chains so Muerto's arms were raised at his sides, his legs apart and chained to the floor; unable to move. The group started to do what they were made for. Two of the four members began to pull the chains attached to the cuffs on his wrists even more, stretching them, testing how far they could go without dislocating the shoulder – or ripping it off completely. The third picked up a whip a whip from the only table in the room and started hitting the orange haired Espada. It wasn't a normal leather whip, it were seven smaller ones – each diamond edged to make them sharp enough to cut through the steel skin of the Arrancar with ease. A fourth fired cero's at the Espada at regular intervals.

Muerto closed his eyes, something he did each and every time. This way he could block out the excruciating pain that the whip caused – it ripped open his skin and drew blood at more places at once. The cero only irritated the wounds even further, the serum increasing the things he felt ten fold. The diamond-edged whip came down hard on his bare back, tearing the skin in seven perfect lines from his shoulders to his hips. A few more hits and his back was dyed completely crimson red, severe, deep aching wounds underneath.

Muerto screamed when the first whip came down on his back with force, normally it wouldn't hurt at all, his steel skin saw to that. With the normal potion it would hurt, but after the first ten times he taught himself to block it out, he still screamed; hoping his master wouldn't notice. But he had – and now he was feeling the consequences.

The orange haired one howled out in pure agony when one of the masked group smeared salt in the slashes across his back, irritating it even further – keeping it open, keeping it fresh. This was something new. Cero's became stronger with each blow, or he was getting weaker, Muetro didn't know anymore. He yelled as hard as he could; his 'human' voice turning into the blood curling howl of a hollow. His senses didn't increase three times like normal; this was worse.

His head fell forward but the whip moved from whipping his back to the chest. His hole dripped with the red liquid as a water tab left open. He had lost consciousness, for the first time. What he didn't know was that Aizen had created a new serum, one that increased the pain tenfold. If the teen wouldn't learn after _thirty-four_ times, he would just have to increase the dose of torment and pain.

The master of Las Noches motioned to the tiger mask hollows to untie the shackles around Muerto's ankles. They quickly did as was asked of them. The two holding the chain that was connected to the wrist remained impassive, not moving like a statue.

Muerto regained consciousness. The lack of pain working like a alarm clock. He would have thought he had been taken back to his room, to stay there for a few days till the potion wore of and his wounds healed, and limbs regrew.

Fear flashed through his eyes as he could feel_ his own_ blood covering his body. Hissing as one of the servants rubbed even more salt in his wounds, this time on his front. The serum still active caused him to howl again.

Aizen clapped his hands and the two of the servants stopped their activities, chains around his wrists still steady in place. He walked forward towards his Espada and traced a finger over his jaw line. "Will you ignore the rules again?" Muerto was breathing irregular. He did this every time; asking these questions. "Will you disobey _me_ again?"

"I will not... Aizen-sama..."

Tracing the bloodied edge of the hole in Muerto's chest he was rewarded with a low heartily moan. "Then don't," Aizen almost purred in the over sensitive ears of the Espada. "Disobey me." Just as calmly as his words he had drawn his zanpaktou, Kyouka Suigetsu, and swiftly cut off both arms completely, before destroying them with kidou.

Muerto screamed in utter agony as the pain surged through his body and collapsed to the ground, in a pool of his own blood. Unconscious.

Washing his hands in a nearby sink the brown haired man removed any traces of blood from his hands before walking back to the scene and watch the Espada 'sleep' in his own blood. Looking over to the tiger masked hollows he gave them a new order. "You are dismissed, leave him here." He left the room, the others following and closed the door, leaving Muerto to deal with his own problems.

-- -- -- --

Half an hour later Grimmjow was wandering the corridors in search of a orange haired teen to spar with. His feet took him to the room where everyone was taken for punishment. He himself had never been caught and taken inside. Curiosity led him inside and wasn't sure what he saw at first. Stepping inside the strong scent of the others body penetrated his nose, his mind reeling at thought of food. He could see a dark red heap of meat in the middle of the room was alive, breathing steadily. It was the person he was looking for – but he seemed to be missing something.

Walking closer he covered his nose, trying to shut out the delicious taste. "What the-!" he could see clearly that the other was missing his arms from the shoulder down. But what bothered him more was the fact that the arms didn't heal like they usually would when he was hurt like this.

"You care for him?"

Spinning around he could see his master standing in the doorway. "I was looking for him, searching for a sparring partner," It wasn't a lie either.

"Then why enter this room when you know what it contains." Aizen's voice still calm and collected.

"Curiosity, I suppose."

"Curiosity killed the cat. Remember that when you get 'curious' next time." On his way to the the door Aizen turned around one last time. "Since you're here, clean the room and Muerto. I'd hate to see him bleed to death because of a simple punishment. Then again, if he dies, that's all he's worth."

"Understood," Grimmjow bowed and watched his master leave and his mind wondered. _'Is this what it means to be punished?'_ He quickly made up his mind never to get punished, _ever_. Searching the room for something to clean with he heard some groaning behind him. Turning around he saw the other moving around in the puddle of partly dried blood. "Good to see ya finally woke up."

Muerto managed to move enough to look the other in his face. His limbs screaming against his actions; the salt getting even deeper into the deep wounds as he moved his body on the ground. "Why are you here?" He said with a weak voice – it was clear he was in pain. "Got demoted?" he tried to sound mockingly -- but failed.

"No retard," the teal haired one grumbled loudly as he kicked the others side, twitching when he saw a new flow of fresh blood coming out; the smell was overpowering for his senses. Fresh blood, filled with reiatsu. He couldn't help himself as he squatted down and ran his right hand through the thick crimson substance.

"Do that and you'll end up here as well…" the orange haired one groaned before the other had a chance to taste. "That's why I ended up here... _again_," his old personality was shimmering through; concern for the safety of others before that of his own.

Grimmjow didn't like this attitude at all. "Stand up, I was ordered to clean here." Licking his hand clean of the others blood he understood why Muerto had attacked Nnoitra. It's taste was unbelievable, addicting even, but it wasn't worth being tortured and left for dead like the Arrancar in font of him on the ground.

Muerto managed to turn to lay on his stomach and was now licking up his own lost blood. "I'm helping aren't I," he said trying to sound sarcastic. He would need souls, blood to even stand. This was the best there was on such a short notice. He doing the best he could, but without his arms it was kind of hard to stay still. "'sides, if I drink my own blood like this the potion wears off faster."

"Potion?"

"The one that's stopping my healing, nutcase." He was feeling a bit better, the second serum had increased the pain tenfold, but now it increased the taste tenfold. "I'm kinda thankful for the one increasing my senses though." When the teal haired Espada didn't respond Muerto looked up, most of his own body was dyed crimson red. "It's the one we usually give to prisoners, so they feel more pain. Mine was altered though..."

"Why are you telling me this?" It was the first thing in his mind when he looked at the orange haired one on the ground.

"Just felt like it, wondering if you're really as tough as you claim to be. Would you be able to withstand it?" Smirking he licked his own blood from the ground as he kept his mismatched eyes locked onto the light blue ones of the Sexta Espada.

"Just stand up and grab something to clean wi-" Realizing the other was standing he could see what he had forgot; Muerto had no arms at the moment. "Just go back to your room and take a shower."

The teen started laughing loudly as he stood up, "You want me to go back, looking like this? You must be insane!" Walking into a back room a shower was soon heard. The shower had been especially made for cases like this; he would not be able to turn the water tab without hands. So when someone came within range the shower would activate itself. "Oldtimer, I need your help with something."

"Can it!" Grimmjow hissed back. He was busy with the floor, and half dreaming at the taste that lingered in his mouth.

"Fine! You'll be the one explaing to Aizen-sama why I was walking around with a blood soaked hakama!" It would be impossible to change clothes without any arms or help.

"What!" The teal haired Espada was mad at the orange head of hair and didn't bother to try and hide it. "You want me to undress you?"

"I obviously can't do it myself or I wouldn't have asked in the first place!" And so the shouting contest began, lucky for both of them the wounds stopped bleeding or it would become a bigger problem. But Soon Muerto collapsed to the floor again. The deep slashes hurt more than he had hoped, the clean water only felt soothing because he was concentrating on the sound the water made, trying to block out the pain that flowed through his body like blood.

Grimmjow went to take a look and saw the other on the ground having some sort of seizure; his body twitching in pain, face twisted in agony. Now he understood why Muerto would stay in his room for a few days before coming back out after punishment.

It wasn't his fault or problem, he was ordered to clean this room and would do so. With the victim in another room it should be a whole lot easier to do. About a hour later the room was completely white again, looking at the unconscious teen under the shower he left the room and went to the nursery. He didn't really care for the orange haired Arrancar, but he would get in trouble with Aizen if he let the other die.

-- -- -- --

Back in Seireitei the wounded were healed, which took longer than expected due to the extensive internal injuries. They concluded that 'Ichigo' must have used his reiatsu to damage the inside of a body without breaking the skin too much. It was perfect for a hollow, all the blood and reiatsu stayed inside while the prey died painfully.

In the huge hall of the 1st division all present captains and vice captains were assembled. Using his cane he created silence among the mumbling shinigami. "Ukitake, inform the rest of us what happened after you confronted the enemy."

In all honesty the captain didn't want to relive the whole event again, even if he passed out shortly after the others arrived. Reluctantly he took his place in the middle of the two rows of the other shinigami captains. "I went to the Soukyoku hill to get some thinking done in silence, upon arrival I heard two people arguing about something. One of the voices had a familiar ring to it. At the top I could make out the color of their clothes and hair; white clothes like the ones from Aizen's army. Teal colored hair and a short white jacket – it was the Espada that 'killed' Ichigo-kun almost four months ago. But next to him was standing someone who bore the exact resemblance to Kurosaki Ichigo, the only thing that was different was the obvious fact that this is a Arrancar, Espada to be precise."

"Then how do know for certain that it's the same boy?" Komamura interrupted. This was a valid question that needed answering.

"I can't explain it, but I am certain that he's the same." It was instinct that told him as much, "He introduced himself as 'Diez Espada, Muerto Fresa'."

"How fitting," Shunshui sighed. "It's Spanish for 'Dead Strawberry'. Isn't that any indication who we are talking about?" Ukitake looked at his old fried and muttered a word of 'thanks', but no one heard him.

"After that he suddenly stood behind me, I couldn't see him move, nor did I sense his reiatsu. He kicked me in my ribs and I hit the remains of the execution stand. That is when I noticed his appearance and alerted the others by raising my reiatsu."

"Wasn't he fighting Diez Espada before he supposedly 'died'?" Hitsugaya was the one who fought Yammy before, and knew the Espada's best by name.

"We all know Ichigo was strong before, but he's seems to be even stronger now." Renji interrupted the group. "I mean..." Realizing what he just did he became a bit unnerved. "Kuchiki-taichou attacked them with his BanKai and they weren't affected by it."

"We should capture and dissect him to find out if it's really the same boy..." Kurostuchi trailed off not caring about the wellbeing of his subjects. He never did. "It will also be a good opportunity to study the Arrancar more closely and find their weakness."

"I suggest we question him first, we could always 'apply pressure' to make him talk," Soifon added.

"This sounds like a plan!" Shunshui said happily, "-but how do you plan on getting him where we want him to be? I doubt he would come freely, sit down in a chair and tells us everything we want to know." the lazy captain just said loud what almost everyone thought.

This was very true. Ichigo was now stronger than any captain and probably wasn't allowed to go anywhere alone. The room fell silent as no one had a air-tight plan. Idea's that went around varied from; 'lure him with chocolate or sake' to 'Enter Hueco Mundo and abduct him'.

"So we all agree that we want Kurosaki here and contained, but how do we contain something with as much power as him?" Ukitake wanted to see Ichigo back to normal – if that was possible. But the question remained; How?

"We can always lure him to a open space and have a powerful binding spell ready for when he arrives. Then we can cast the binding spell with more than one person, increasing it's strength." This time it was Shuuhei who spoke, he had been promoted to new captain of the 9th division. The 3rd and 5th division were still without a captain.

After a few more hours of discussing various methods Yamamoto tapped the ground with his cane and silenced the room, directing all attention to himself. "We all agree we have to get him to a open area and seal his movements," He looked around the room and saw everyone nod slightly or closed their eyes slowly. "We will continue this meeting tomorrow morning, come back with better idea's. Dismissed!"

Everyone bowed before they left the room and headed back to their offices. "Kuchiki-taicho?" The red haired vice-captain asked his captain. Byakuya stopped walking and turned to face Renji. "Is it okay to go to the real world and inform Rukia about the problems we have with the plan? Maybe she has some new idea's"

The black haired captain turned away from his vice-captain. "Do whatever you like," He walked further away, his light blue silken scarf dancing in the wind as he went. He never talked much, but after losing to the boy twice he was angry. He wanted to prove he still was the strongest, even though he knew there was no way to beat the teen formally known as 'Kurosaki Ichigo'.

Renji bowed and ran in the opposite direction – to the official gate that led to the real world. Rukia said that she'd go and inform Ichigo's father about the situation. Even if he wasn't a official shinigami anymore he had the right to stay informed about happening concerning his own son. Rukia wasn't allowed to attend the meeting, no matter how well she knew Ichigo before he 'died'.

-- -- -- --

Kurosaki Isshin, a former shinigami captain. It had become common knowledge after Ichigo supposedly 'died' by the hands of the teal haired Espada. As he opened the front door he came face to face with the short raven haired shinigami, she was inside her gigai and wasn't sure how to address the man.

"Kurosaki-taichou," She bowed slightly. "Can I have moment to speak with you?"

"Rukia-chan," Isshin said happily, his large warm hand on top of her head. "I'm not a captain anymore – Call me Daddy!" He added, "Come inside my third daughter!" Before the petite shinigami could say anything more she was picked up and carried inside.

She could struggle, but it wouldn't work. "Isshin-san...?" Rukia let out a yelp as she was put down on the sofa in the living room of the Kurosaki household. "Where are Yuzu and Karin?"

"Be quiet Rukia-chan!" Isshin said loudly at his guest. "If you yell like that they'll wake up,"

"...I think you were louder than me though." She sweat dropped, shaking her head she remembered what she came here for. Now that she sat down steadily she could see that the loss of Ichigo had made a hard impact on his life, his face was whiter than before, his cheeks fallen in and his hair was beginning to thinnen.

"So what do you want to talk to me about?" Isshin had dropped his crazy act and looked at her, his expression serious. "Shinigami never come here without a reason, unless they need help." Scratching his beard he looked at the ceiling. "Or did Sousuke reveal some of his plans?"

Taken aback she stared at the the small altar that had been made for Ichigo. A black framed picture that was made with a photo from his school archive; the usual unruly orange hair, deep frown on his face which made him look older than he really was. Tears began welling up in her eyes as she thought of him in white clothes, that look of disgust on his face.

Isshin followed her gaze and saw the photo of his son, looking back at the girl he could see tears rolling down across her cheek. Then back at the photo and he got a bed feeling, _'Don't tell me,'_ His mind went racing at the thoughts what this could mean. "Sousuke has him," He said seriously, "Doesn't he?"

Rukia's head snapped up, her teary eyes wide, looking straight into his dark brown ones. "H-how... did you?"

"So I guess it's true then." He sighed deeply as he sat down opposite the small girl. "I should have known," He was frustrated, hands clenched into fists, nails digging into his skin. That bastard probably turned his son into one of his slaves.

"We just found out when he appeared in Soul Society together with the Espada that supposedly killed him back then." Her voice was shaking, "He.. Ichigo attacked and almost killed captains.. He didn't recognize _anyone_... They won't forgive him.." Rukia was sobbing and half crying as she broke down. This man was someone she could trust, she could feel it. "We have to save him... I'm sure Ichigo doesn't want to follow Aizen."

Isshin did what came natural to him; he embraced the girl like she really was his daughter. "We will save him, I just want stupid son home so the girls won't have to be lonely anymore,"

_'Is this how it feels to have a father?' s_he relaxed her body as she continued to cry in his arms. "The captains are having a meeting about what to do now..."

"I'll go alone to Hueco Mundo to get him back if I have to." Isshin said stubborn as he gently rubbed her back. "No need for crying. Besides, what will Ichigo say if he saw you like this?" A grin spread across his features and his grip tightened as Rukia wanted to free herself and yell at him that Ichigo would never see her like this. "Don't worry Rukia-chan," his voice was compassionate and relaxed. "We'll get him back, even if we have to drag him."

"Yeah,"

"Am I interrupting something?" Renji had appeared in the room by walking through the wall, everyone would be able to see him anyway.

"Renji!" Rukia exclaimed as she ran to her childhood friend, her face flushed. "How did it go?"

"We're kinda stuck," he scratched the back of his head nervously, wondering what to say with Ichigo's father in the room. "They decided to lure him to a open place and seal his movements. That way we can get information on Aizen's plan and prepare a counter attack."

"What's wrong with that plan?" the raven haired girl asked.

The red head was about to explain when Isshin interrupted him. "It's the 'how'." Renji nodded.

"He isn't the same anymore. The usual things don't work, aside from that there is still his power." He didn't want to tell Isshin that Kurotsuchi wanted to dissect his son as soon as soon as they had him contained.

"There is one thing that might work..." All eyed were now aimed at the former shinigami captain, wanting to know what he meant. "One thing he'll never forget – no matter how much he changed."

"Which is?" Renji didn't see where this was going, but Rukia had a hunch.

"If we use a gigai that resembles Masaki we'll get him where we want to."

The short gasped and held her hands in front of her mouth. The Vice-captain was just utterly confused about the change of atmosphere in the room. "Did I miss something?"

"But that's.." Rukia began, "Your wife.. Ichigo's mother."

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

_**(1)**__ Nnoitra calls Ulquiorra 'Pet-sama', probably because of their numbers. So Ichi/Muerto is number 10, a lower rank, so a lower suffix behind the name.  
__**(2)**__Quinto means 'fifth' (Manga chapter 298, page 22, M7 Scanlations)  
__**(3)**__ I wrote this far before chapter 308, where he reveals it _**(O.o)**_  
_

_**My Ramblings/Sort of Diary;**__  
__**(1)**__ I'm tempted to have Aizen rape his espada, I don't know why...  
__**(2)**__ Probably because I had yaoi planned in the whole fic, but decided on a neutral one later on, so the things I had for the last chapter will have to be re-written. -sigh-  
__**(3) **__I kept changing little things in this chapter and now I have enough _**xD**_**  
**_

_**Please leave a Review!!**_

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	4. Forbidden Memories

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_Pass on the Number_

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If you like this fic, please let me know in a review.  
Or I'll probably stop posting further chapters.

Please give me some feedback to let me know how I'm doing, is it good? Bad? Something else?  
Let me know **(n.n)**

I thank you all for taking your time to read this fic, I hope you enjoyed it so far **(n.n)**

Disclaimer: _I do not own bleach, Kubo-sensei does._

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_-- -- -- Chapter 04 -- -- --  
Forbidden Memories  
__-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- _

"But… That's your wife… Ichigo's mother." Rukia stuttered as Isshin told her and Renji what his idea was on how to lure Ichigo to the designated place in Soul Society.

"Exactly. Ichigo will never forget the face of his mother – no matter how messed up and modified his memory might be." He cringed at the the idea himself, but knew at the same time that it was the only way. A child that had been cared for by his mother like Ichigo had been knows by instinct. He walked over to the small memorial altar next to Ichigo's. "I'm sorry to ask this of you Masaki – But will you help me save our son one more time?" He sat down on his knees and lighted a candle before the altar and burned some incense.

Rukia walked closer to the large dark haired male, "May I?" Isshin nodded slightly and Rukia lighted a second candle and held her hands together in a praying manner as, she too, sat in front of the framed picture.

The red head remained quiet, unsure what the other two were doing. Why would someone light a candle in front of photograph and pray to it? Or ask a photo – a lifeless piece of paper a question, as if it were able to talk. He didn't understand any of this at all. One the two others stood back up he deemed it was safe speak again. "But how do you plan to make it?"

"Urahara should be able to. He may be exiled, but that doesn't mean he can't make them." The ex-shinigami captain left the room and picked up the phone before dialing the number of the shoten.

"Then I'll head back to Soul Society and tell them about this in the morning meeting." He bowed to Isshin as a sign of thanks and left the building. Rukia looked around and sat down in front of Ichigo's little altar. Closing her eyes she prayed silently; _'Please come back to us,'_ When she felt a large hand on her shoulder she was startled. "I was just..."

"It's okay, I understand." He lighted a strawberry scented candle and placed it on his son's tiny black altar. "A bit more luck can't hurt." His voice was serious, as were his actions. How could he act all goofy-like at a time like this?

The short girl noticed it too and kept wondering what could have happened to Ichigo. That turned him into this, this slave.

"Let's go Rukia-chan," The shinigami nodded and pulled her coat back on.

-- -- -- --

Arriving at Urahara's little candy store they found him waiting outside. "I happened to overhear Seireitei's problems," He waved his fan innocently in front of his face, confirming that he had several microphones hidden in Seireitei at places where delicate information was shared – like the captains meeting hall.

"Then you heard about Ichigo."

"Oh, yes." His tone turned from cheery to dead serious. "Do you have a plan to get him at the wanted place Seireitei placed the trap?"

"Correct. They'll need a gigai that looks like Masaki." Urahara closed his fan, knowing what the man in front him meant, and seriousness of it all. "If there was any other way I would choose that. But she is the only person he cared for more than anything else."

The petite shinigami didn't dare to interrupt the conversation, eyes shifting from the black haired one, to the blond shopkeeper.

"I'll need specifications for the gigai then, and clothes, if you still have those." Isshin nodded and turned to leave. "What are you going to do, Kuchiki-san?"

"I- I'll go back to Seireitei to wait for further orders." Both males nodded and left to make the necessary preparations.

Isshin went together with Urahara inside the shop where he could leave his gigai for the time being as he hurried back in his shinigami form, being able to move faster this way. Within thirty minutes Isshin had returned with; Masaki's clothes and a couple of photo's that could be used as reference for her figure. He had kept the clothes in a separate closet, finding himself unable to throw them away, it were the same clothes she had on _that_ night – the night she was killed.

"Very well then.." the blond shopkeeper accepted the items, "Do you have any idea how to contact your son?"

"After you're done with the Gigai I'll take it to Seireitei and send Ichigo a letter using my specialty." Urahara nodded and left the man alone, withdrawing into his workshop. Both would have a lot of work to do.

-- -- -- --

In Seireitei the meeting continued from where they stopped last time. All captains were aligned in the usual lines, their Vice-captains standing next to them. "Has anyone come up with new methods of luring the Espada to the required place?" Mumbles were heard across the room and nobody stepped forward, until Renji did. "Abarai-fukutaichou, inform us of your plan."

"It's not really my idea – the one who came up with it isn't he-" The red was interrupted when the doors swung open revealing a man alongside a beautiful woman with long wavy dark blond hair. "It's you... Ichigo's father!"

Isshin walked closer and recognized a few captains; Ukitake, Shunshui and Yamamoto. "It's still my son, and I will get him at the rendezvous point."

"How do plan on doing that?" The captain of the first division asked skeptical at the new arrival. Looking better he recognized the man and opened one of his eyes in shock, "You're supposed to be dead,"

"As you can clearly see, I'm not." Isshin replied without any of his usual sense of humor. "I plan to use this gigai to get Ichigo to that place you guys arranged, I'll also sent him the letter telling him of the location."

"Isshin-san," Ukitake began, happy to see his old friend is still alive. "How do you plan to use that gigai, and sent him that letter?"

"This is a gigai made to resemble my late wife – she was killed by a hollow when Ichigo was nine. And about the letter," Isshin pulled a couple of rectangular papers with ancient Japanese writing on them from the folds of his uniform.

"I see, they won't suspect that, _fuda papers_(1)" Ukitake said slightly surprised.

"Exactly," Holding one of the paper between his right index and middle finger, pointing upwards he began chanting in the same ancient language as the text on the paper. The paper suddenly became stiff before folding itself into a pure white paper bird that rested on the back of Isshin's hand. "This ancient art has been forgotten. This shikigami messenger(2) will deliver the message to Ichigo without anyone having to go there." he petted the bird on his head as he looked back to the other shinigami. "This will get to Hueco Mundo without problems, I'll send the bird on his way once you're done."

The oldest shinigami nodded in agreement, this might work. "We'll let you lead the operation, Dismissed!" He tapped the ground loudly with his cane to make it official. Isshin had been a captain, so he knew how things worked around in Seireitei.

Isshin stood in the middle of the room, his worn captains coat strapped to his left arm, looking around to the other captains and vice-captains. "First show me the place where you plan to hold him, then we're going to gather the strongest kidou-casters and prepare the seal so they can activate it as soon as he enters the location."

Ukitake and Shunshui walked over to Isshin and told him that they were really happy he turned out to be alive. "We can catch up later. First I want my son back," Ukitake's skin became a bit paler as he thought back to his last encounter with the boy. "Jyuushiro, you okay?"

"Just a bad memory,"

Isshin's expression darkened as he could guess what the memory was about. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"

The two others nodded and led the way to soukyoku hill, the place where this nightmare would hopefully end. The ex-captain walked around the grounds and drew his zanpaktou, the shikigami still on his shoulder. The zanpaktou's tip in the sand he drew a massive circle on the ground. "Within this circle we shall put the sealing spell. Now go back to your divisions and search the people with the strongest kidou skills – captains aren't a exception. And have someone inform the Kidou Division as well, we'll need them." The others nodded. "Be back here within the hour with the strongest people you can find, four at least."

The captains disappeared with the use of a simple shunpo and he was left waiting. A hour passed and the hill was filled with shinigami again. "Listen up everyone, this is the plan!" Isshin yelled at the crowd, making sure everyone heard him when he explained the simple yet difficult plan.

He lifted the shikigami from his shoulder and told it to find Ichigo, his son. He spoke in the ancient language so the bird would understand his order. _'Now all we can do is pray...' _he said to himself as the bird disappeared from view._  
_

-- -- -- --

In Hueco Mundo, Muerto was back in his room, his arms slowly re-growing as the potion wore off. But his arms weren't his biggest problem at the moment, for a while now he seemed to remember things he never could have done, black holes in his memory. He didn't dare to tell his master about it – what if he was imperfect, not worthy of serving his master. He would be thrown out or killed.

He sighs relief when the potion finally wore off completely, his arms back were back and the wounds gone. He almost jumped like a five year-old when he headed to the shower and picked up a change of uniform. He had gotten a clean uniform when he was treated in the sickbay – but the cuts kept bleeding; staining his white clothes with red and pick dots. Muerto had been bored out of his mind – he couldn't do anything without his hands, except just sit and wait in his dirty clothes. First thing first; visit the toilet.

After he got cleaned up he walked back to his bed with the intention of cleaning his nameless blade. Murto needed to clean it and maybe there was something left on the sharp edge of the blade he could eat or lick off. His eagerness faded when he saw a pure white bird sitting on top of the hilt. As he came closer the bird cocked his head and spread it wings before glowing brightly – causing the Espada to close his eyes wait for the light to ebb away. After the light had left the room he opened his eyes again and saw a letter in the same place the bird had been before.

Picking up the piece of paper he read its contents;

_/Muerto Fresa, Or should I say Kurosaki Ichigo./_

Muerto didn't understand, but kept reading anyway – something told him to.

_/You must have noticed by now that there are holes in your memory and memories of a certain women with curly long dark blond hair and a gentle voice and face. Just look at the photograph along with this letter./_

Looking back on the bed he could see the back of a photograph, picking it up he looked at the front and was stunned – It was the same woman from his dreams. The same gentle smile and the beautiful hair… The word 'mom' passed his lips without his permission. Fingers touched his lips, wondering why he said that; he didn't have a mother. He was a Espada created by Aizen Sousuke, the same man who would pass for his 'father' if he had to name one.

_/If you want to find out if we're lying – come to the same hill where you fought those 'weak' shinigami captains. I'll tell you the truth about your past and memories./_

Putting the picture absentmindedly in his pocket he threw the letter on his bed. First things first – the blade needed cleaning. As he started waxing his nameless blade. His mind was even more restless than before. The letter and its words in it effected him more then he thought, he couldn't concentrate on the things he was doing. Getting quickly agitated he stood up and put the sealed blade into his sash before opening the gate – He would beat the shinigami who wrote the letter and fucked with his mind; they would die and become his food!

Stepping trough the gate he almost stomped the ground like a small child on his way to the other side; Seireitei.

A few minutes after the gate had closed the door to Diez's room opened . Grimmjow had come to see if Muerto was 'healthy' enough, meaning his arms back, for a sparring session. "Can you pull your own pants up this time?" He yelled into the room, expecting some sort of smartass remark from the other – but noting came. The teal haired one didn't need to search far as he saw the letter on the bed.

Picking it up he read it. He scanned the room for the picture that was spoken of in the letter, but found nothing. "Fuck," the Sexta Espada cursed as he strode out of the room, letter in hand. Muerto would never fall for such a simple trick, he would tear the piece of paper and laugh while he burned it. But the fact that it was still complete didn't feel right – at all, it bothered him greatly. Maybe he didn't say anything out of fear of being kicked out of the Espada or worse. Realization hit him when he thought about the location mentioned in the letter. He knows how to get there, and he'll kill the ones who wrote it – not that it would be a bad thing. But if the shinigami manged to trigger some sealed memories Aizen's plan would be for nothing.

Stopping in the middle of the hallway he turned and went to his own room, he would go and see if the kid would really be so stupid as to walk into a obvious trap. Then again he always did stupid things – something he did even before he got 'turned'. Back in his room he closed the door and immediately opened the garganta back to the hill where they were a few days ago.

-- -- -- --

Back in Seireitei everyone had scurried to be in place when the enemy would come – if he would come. The strongest kidou casters and captains waited on top of the hill where the trap was set. All captains; with the exception of the 4th, they would be be among the kidou group and were to heal the wounded it it came to that. All that was left to do was wait.

Muerto decided to arrive on the bottom of the hill to see who he was dealing with, before he stepped out the garganta the Espada made sure to hide his reiatsu as good as he could – hopefully avoiding immediate detection. Searching for a few bushes he waited to see who would be waiting for him.

Isshin got thirsty waiting at the top and walked down the stairs that were carved out the stone on the side. Walking absentmindedly down his mind wondered what his son would look like if it was really him. He'd fought Arrancar and a few Espada and noticed how strong they were even if they didn't release their true form. It bothered him greatly – seeing his son as a hollow, ready to kill and eat souls for survival. Back in his glory days he'd seen hollows feast on other hollowed to stay alive; it wasn't something he wanted to see again. When he imagined his beloved son instead of that hollow he almost threw up. He never wanted to see Ichigo eat someone else.

Walking past a few bushes he didn't notice that someone with orange hair and white clothes had stepped out. Isshin only noticed when he felt a cold blade pressed against his neck and felt a stone drop in his stomach at the voice he heard.

"Are you the one who sent the letter that fucked up my mind?"

He was certain now. It was Ichigo. But he had to be careful with his words. "One of them, why?" The blade was drawn back and he turned around, keeping his eyes locked on the teen that got ready to cut him in half. His eyes widened in shock as he managed to block the incoming blade with his own zanpaktou. He looked at the others eyes, mismatched and burning with rage. _' Ichigo, what have they done to you?'_ Pushing the blade and it's owner backwards they stared at each other, waiting to see who would move first.

Isshin had trouble believing what he was seeing at the moment. It was his son and it made him more than happy to see he was still alive – but his appearance was something he hoped was just a bad dream, that when he woke it would be gone. That partial mask on the left side above his eye along with the teeth and the inky black lines. He could remove that with his thoughts; but the perfect circular hole in his sons chest was a whole different matter.

"I'll kill you." Muerto suddenly said as he raised his blade again. "Then I'm gonna kill the other weaklings in this place and make Aizen-sama proud of me!" Those eyes, those mismatched eyes narrowed as he ever so slightly moved backwards, getting ready for a new attack. _'When I get back I'll prove that those images in my mind are fake, some sort of shinigami illusion!' _

The dark haired ex-captain noticed it and decided he would make a break for it and head for the trap on top of the hill. It was a mistake. The moment he turned his head he felt a cold metal blade slice across his shoulder accompanied by a roar of insane laughter. _'When did he?'_

"Guess all captains are as weak as last time,"

Isshin had turned around and saw his son lick _his_ blood from the blade – shivering as he swallowed the substance. _'No, please tell me it's a lie..'_ He didn't want his son to need _that_ to survive. He was nothing more than a father who wanted his only son back.

"I didn't get a chance to eat something last time," The grin on Muerto's face widened. "This time there are no orders – I can do what I want," Licking his lips he jumped at Isshin who started to run back up the stairs, there was no way he would be able to win against his son. "Tch, missed," The orange haired Arrancar cursed before lazily chasing the shinigami._ 'Maybe he'll lead me to the others,'_ Grinning, he ran after, cutting the captains back open, enjoying the sight of blood dripping from the wounds.

-- -- -- --

Grimmjow stepped out of the portal at the same time that Muerto started chasing the shinigami up the hill. "Baka, This'll get you in deep shit." He whispered to himself as he lowered his reiatsu and gave chase, ready to jump into the fight if necessary.

-- -- -- --

As he ran Isshin raised his reiatsu, alerting the others he had company – this part was going different than planned. They hoped he would just walk out of the gate in the middle of the circle, now he was on guard and probably ready for a attack if there ever came one.

Ukitake was the first to notice and told everyone Isshin was back - and wounded. "Be on guard!" He yelled loudly. "Isshin-san is wounded and the Espada is most likely following closely. Get ready!" The captains took their place on the other side of trap while the kidou team hid to avoid being seen, and just in time as father and son came 'running' right at them, at the seal. Isshin wasn't running, he was limping fast and fell to the ground before the edge of the circular seal. Unohana-taichou gasped from her hiding place, the big slashes across his back bled heavily, but if she would rush at him now there was a chance the whole mission would end in failure.

At the sight of almost all captains of Seireitei lined up on the other side of the circle Muerto quickly forgot the half dead shinigami next to him on the ground, only the delicious smell reminding him. He recognized some of them and made a mental not not to bother with them when he started slaughtering the rest. Grinning he flicked his blade, getting the blood off of it; making it sharp once again.

As he moved forward he stepped inside the circle, all captains stepped aside to reveal the gigai Urahara had made on Isshin's request for this purpose. Muerto slowed down his advance as his eyes were drawn to the unmoving body – the same women from the photo - from his dreams.

As he reached the center of the circle the kidou casters cast the strongest spell they knew and had been practicing from the beginning of this mission. But had been easier than any of them had thought it would be, the Arrancar wasn't resisting the binding spell he just stood there, staring at the gigai. _'I'm sorry Ichigo, but it's the only way.'_ Isshin whispered to himself as he lost consciousness. Unohana noticed this and quickly went to his side, deeming it was safe enough.

-- -- -- --

Grimmjow arrived on the top of the hill still hidden and saw Muerto standing in the middle of a circle, movements sealed. This could become bad. Scanning the surroundings better he saw multiple captain level shinigami, several lover ranked ones. Sexta Espada thought about going to fight but stopped himself from doing so – not knowing the abilities and power from enemies as many as this would be a real pain in the ass.

"Mom... ?" With a shivering voice Muerto spoke those words, surprising everyone there.

_'Could it be that the kid was actually starting to remember his past!?'_ Grimmjow thought, "Shit," The teal haired arrancar cursed as he quickly went back down the stairs a bit before opening the way back to Las Noches to warn his master about the problem at hand. When he heard Muerto scream like he only did during his punishment he knew he had to hurry.

-- -- -- --

Screaming loudly Muerto raised his reiatsu and broke the seal as he grabbed his head tightly with both his hands, his blade clattering to the ground. Images of a teen with orange hair and black shinigami robes entered his mind. Something deep down inside him told it were his own memories. Clawing at the air before him he wanted to slap them away, denying them as his own.

Isshin regained consciousness by the screaming that turned into a blood curling hollow howl he had heard so many times. His eyes grew sad as he saw his son in pain but knew it was the only way of getting him back.

Slumping forward Muerto reached a shaky right hand at the gigai – wanting to touch her, feel if she was really there. His left hand still on his head, trying to get a grip on the excruciating pain soaring through the inside of his skull.

The captains saw this as a possible way of attacking the gigai – destroying it. Just to be able to fight at full power. They stepped back in front of the gigai stopping the Esapda's advances towards it. The woman disappeared from his grasp, again, unable to touch or save her.

It was a mistake. The orange haired one didn't see the gigai and felt no pain as he used a sonido to pick up his forgotten blade and rage filled his entire being as he glared daggers at the shinigami in his sights. He didn't care anymore – not how many opponents there were, not about the letter, not about anything.

"Barra(3), Blanca Demonio(4)"

A white bone mask began forming on the teens face from his tear canals, connecting with the partial one on his head already. Black lines covering the left side as sharp teeth formed and completed the mask. White bone spikes grew from his shoulders, tearing the coat as they kept growing – six on each shoulder, running down his back. The blade fused with both hands which turned into white claws with sharp nails. A mighty black tipped tail shot out from under his coat and swished from one side to another, as if ticking the time away before he would attack. The feet had turned into three-toed claws that dug into the ground to move faster at his multiple prey. His trademark orange hair had become longer and stopped above the place where his tail had grown. Unlike Grimmjow it were only parts of his body that changed, not most of body and skin.

Pushing the mask to the side of his head Muerto looked back at the shinigami, his mismatched eyes burning with rage. Howling loudly he charged at the captain with the long silvery white hair who seemed to be frozen in fear of what he just saw and heard. Grinning he raised his right claw ready to tear the body to shreds, getting rid of his frustrations. He would get punished when he got back to his master – better make the best of it before that time comes.

The claws never met the captain he had been stabbed with twelve blades at once, both Vice-captain and captain alike. Staggering back Muerto started grinning and licked the blood off his arms which had already healed. "His wounds are gone!" Renji yelled as he looked back at the arms.

Before anyone realized what the Vice-captain of the 6th division had said the Espada had appeared behind them and had his claw millimeters before Renji's face. He had turned around when the orange hair disappeared from his vision. Everyone froze at the sight.

Muerto had stopped moving and no one knew why – that was until a gentle voice spoke. "Don't do this... Ichigo."

Isshin had recognized the voice at once, he had been too busy looking at what his son had become to notice the person now standing behind his beloved son. The empty, soulless gigai that shouldn't be able to talk, to move, had run at the released Espada and wrapped it's arms around his waist. "Your name means 'to protect', have you forgotten your friends? Your sisters? Your father?" Her arms tightened, knowing the words would hurt him. "Forgotten me?"

White clawed hands went back to holding the orange head of hair, he howled loudly before sinking to his knees, tail forgotten as foreign images entered his mind.

-- -- -- --

Grimmjow had returned along with his master who had found the report 'disturbing'. But his face didn't betray his worry – was it really possible to forcefully regain his memory, the memories that had been suppressed and sealed over time. "Where is he?" Aizen asked the Sexta Espada.

"He should be-" But there was no need to finish what he was saying. As both exited the garganta they met with Muerto's massive reiatsu and his agonizing cries of pain. "He's released... How?" Getting curious was something that Grimmjow knew he shouldn't be, but what had the teen driven to suddenly know it? Could it be that the kid's memories were coming back? Both men hurried to the top of the hill and kept themselfs hidden from view.

_'This could be a slight drawback, if __his memory is __really returning,'_ "Stay here, Grimmjow. Wait and see what happens, we can always use 'negación' to get him back." He was curious about what happened and eager to find out what caused it.

-- -- -- --

Muerto didn't know what was true and what was a lie. Images kept flooding his mind like a water dam that broke under to much stress. Images of a small orange haired boy and a small black haired girl in a dojo. An older version of the kid, this time with two little girls; a blond and a black haired one. The same boy, again with a short black haired shinigami, she thrusted her blade through his heart, and then he was wearing the black robes. That boy was now fighting other shinigami.

"LIES!" Muerto yelled out loud as he began to change back to his 'sealed' state, the spikes and tail disappeared, his hands and feet returned to normal, the long hair vanished and the mask broke partially away, leaving a large part above his black and gold left eye. The foreign images returned – The same orange haired shinigami was now fighting Arrancar, servants of his master, his friends. It turned black and when the light returned he found the boy in a white padded room. His master came walking in and asked him to join, the boy refused and Aizen left the room. After another short 'blackout' he saw the teen again, slumping through the familiar halls of Las Noches, he arrived in the throne room and got a green drink that forced the boy to transform into a hollow – the exact same as Muerto's hollow form. His mismatched eyes widened as he realized he was that shinigami and the memories really were his own. He saw himself eating a shinigami one he now recognized as Hanatarou. He was 'turned' with hougyoku and was certain he had been the orange haired shinigami when he saw himself.

Muerto howled loudly and turned around to come face to face with the gigai resembling his mother. "Mom..." His voice was shaking as he spoke, now remembering everything that had happened. "Is it... really you?"

"Thank you for remembering me, Ichigo." The gigai closed it's eyes and fell down towards the sandy ground. Before she could Ichigo had caught her in his arms, his sword lay forgotten in the circle.

-- -- -- --

Aizen wasn't happy to say the least, but his face remained unchanged._ 'This is a flaw in my plan, but I took this into account so it won't slow me down.'_ He said to himself as he quietly opened the garganta. "We're going, Grimmjow."

"What about him?" pointing a thumb over his shoulder.

"It's no use getting him back, now that they know the key to bringing him back. He will be unable to harm us, not when he remembers the punishment I gave him." A smile played on the mans lips as he stepped through the portal, leaving. The teal haired Espada followed soon afterwards.

-- -- -- --

"Mom? ...say something!" by gently shaking the gigai Ichigo hoped to wake her up – to no avail. He remembered the night she died clearly, these were the exact same clothes as that night. Tears fell down from his eyes as he realized he had been, once again powerless to help her.

The shinigami didn't know what to do with the sight they were seeing right now. Ichigo had regained his memories and was shaking a empty gigai that he kept calling 'mom', and now he started crying. They decided to stand down and only attack when the Espada became hostile again.

Isshin's back had been healed enough for him to walk, Unohana helped him stand up and he walked over to his son, not caring whether it was safe or not. "Ichigo," he said gently but there came no audible response – aside from the sobbing noises. "That gigai is empy, there never was a shinigami or mod-soul inside."

Ichigo turned his head to look at his father, his eyes mismatched and filled with tears and sorrow. "Then how do you explain the things she did?!" he yelled back, his voice lacked the usual rough edges as he spoke. "How could she walk, talk and do the things she did!" He refused to let the body go, not wanting to lose his mother again.

Isshin could do nothing more than sit there and watch his son, or rather stare at the new 'features' he gaines, namely the partial mask on his head and the hole in his chest. He mentally kicked himself for not doing anything and pulled his son to his broad, strong chest. To his surprise Ichigo didn't struggle when he did, he used his left hand to rub Ichigo's back while whispering to him. "It's alright... it's over..."

Ichigo released the gigai and clung to his father instead, not knowing what else to do. He gave up on holding back his emotions, he cried out loud. He cried for the loss of his mother and what he had been forced to become through the mind games and experiments of a mastermind. He continued crying even after he fell unconscious, worn out by the various trials he had endured in such a short time.

Looking at the sleeping face Isshin and some shinigami were reminded that Ichigo was just a 17 year-old teen. Not even an adult, no matter how old he might look with that scowl on his face. Looking better he could still see tears coming from his son's eyes. '_I can't even begin to imagine what you're dreaming right now.'_ He picked up the orange haired Espada and walked towards the stairs leading down to hill, picking Ichigo's blade up along the way.

"Where are you taking that Arrancar?"

"This is my son, and I'm taking him to the 4th division resting rooms where he can recover from his trial." His voice was cold as he spoke to Yamamoto-sou-taichou. He didn't care much either way, he wasn't a official shinigami anyway – not anymore.

No one saw it necessary to stop a father from tending to his son, no matter what that son had become, it didn't matter – not now. This was just a father and son, nothing else.

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_**(1) **__paper charms  
__**(2) **__A bird summoned by/with fuda paper. It's used to deliver a letter or message. (at least in Yami no Matsuei. Which also has shinigami.) __**xD **__  
__**(3)**__ Spanish for Slash  
__**(4)**__ Something along the lines of 'white demon' in Spanish ... I think (need help!)  
__  
_

_**My Ramblings/Sort of Diary;**__  
__**(1) **__I started to dislike Zangetsu and now that Ichi is an Arrancar, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to get rid of the emo blade, thus a new name _**xD**_  
__**(2) **__So I chose the spanish/Japanese translation of 'White Demon' Ichi is now wearing white, his hollow is white, and he's acting like a demon, has demon-like powers.. Fitting _**xD**_  
__**(3) **__Now that I think about it, Yami no Matsuei has similarities with Bleach __**x**_**D**_ They have the same seiyuu as Urahara (Tsuzuki) and Aizen (Muraki) and a kid, age 16, Kurosaki Hisoka _**xD**_  
__**(4) **__I had no idea what Ichi would look like as an released Arrancar, so I hope this works.__  
_

_**Please leave a Review!!**_

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	5. Return

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_Pass on the Number_

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**Thank you for your support!!**

You have no idea how happy I was while reading those reviews **(n,n)/"  
**I will finish this fic!

I know the update is kind of late, it was vacation and I had a friend over for three weeks. When someone else is in my room I can't seem to write or work properly. it sucks.

Anyway, here is a new chapter **(n.n)**

Disclaimer: _I do not own bleach, Kubo-sensei does._

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_-- -- -- Chapter 05 -- -- --  
Return  
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The orange haired Espada stirred in his sleep under the white bedsheets. He had been taken to the 4th divisions main hospital building to recover from his mental injuries. Yamamoto-sou-taichou had forbidden it, the boy was a enemy and would have to be treated as such until proven otherwise, but said boy's father had insisted he should be treated as a victim of manipulation.

Ichigo got up from the bed, breaking the leather restraints that had been tied around his wrists, ankles and torso – but he didn't notice. His clothes weren't replaced, he still wore his white hakama, boots were removed, as was his white coat and blade. Memories from two personalities swam through his mind, making him blind to the room or his location. He made his way towards the door and passed a mirror hanging on the wall, looking into it he saw his own reflection.

Bright unruly orange hair, mismatched eyes; the right one was white with a chocolate brown iris, while the left was pitch black with a hungry yellow iris. A partial hollow mask above his left eye. His vision trailed lower and stopped at the hole that stood proudly in his chest. Touching the hole with shaking fingers triggered a new wave of memories that took their sweet time to settle down.

Grabbing his head with his left hand he smashed the mirror with his right, blood dripping to the ground, the wound already healed. "No... It can't be real..." Ichigo was himself again, but in the body of Diez Espada(1). He looked at the place his hand had bled and licked the blood away – the taste triggering the memories of Aizen's punishment. "What... have I become?" staring at his shaking hands.

Dazed he walked back to the bed, staring at the restraints. _'I won't struggle, not after what I did..'_ He laid down on the bed, hating himself that he was too weak to stop what was happening, he fingered the hole again, still not believing the memories were truly his. Closing his eyes his mothers lifeless body flashed before his eyes. He sat back up, got out of bed and went back to the door. He wanted to know what had happened to his mother, _she _was there, _she _stopped him.

Before he could reach for the doorknob the door was already opened, revealing Ichigo's father, Isshin. He was surprised to see his standing up and walking around, he knew about the restraints. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked, slightly staring at the partial mask. "You've been unconscious for three days." He was worried, but Ichigo just stared at him, his mind not really where it should be.

_'I was out for three days?' _Ichigo didn't believe it, but his stomach twisted in emptiness. He quickly knew what it was that he wanted; food. In this case his father. Clenching his eyes shut he started shouting. "Get away!" He backed away till he was standing with his back against the wall, bend forward. It took him almost all his self control not to kill and eat his father, and turn his sisters into orphans. But that smell, it was intoxicating, it was family.

Isshin came closer to his screaming son, thinking more memories must have surfaced, "Ichigo, what's wrong?" Hungry eyes snapped up and bore through his own being. "Ichi... go?"

"I said... stay _away_.." His breathing was ragged and he had started sweating, "You're not making it any easier..." Something else entered that delicious smell – fear – something that made the food taste even better. "You're scared." he heaved, glaring at his father as his eyes narrowed.

The older of the two was clearly taken aback by the sudden accusation, "Why makes you think that I'm scared?" When he was nervous about something he would always fake a smile and a overly happy mood. "I'm you're father! How can Daddy be scares of his little bo-" He never got the chance to finish his sentence when Ichigo pinned him to wall, arms and legs unable to move an inch.

The scent increased. "I can smell it," Ichigo purred in his fathers ear before he slowly licked the nape of the neck bared before his greedy eyes.

_'Oh god,' _He was scared, really scared. Isshin couldn't get his hands or legs to move enough to get away from his, obviously, hungry son. Never would he have thought this Espada – No, his son, could become strong enough to overpower him this easily. He made a mistake and would pay for it with his life.

The door swung open when Ichigo had opened his mouth and got ready to take a bite – Isane(2) came to see what the noise was about and quickly threw a, what looked like, empty vial at the orange haired teen. It broke and nothing seemed to be happening – until Ichigo fell to the floor, unable to move his limbs.

"What did you do to him?" Isshin had been surprised but now feared they might have poisoned his firstborn child.

"A paralyzing potion." Isane told the worried man as she checked him for any wounds. "You're lucky Kurosaki-taichou."

"Call me Isshin, I'm not a captain, not anymore. But the vial you threw was empty."

"It contained a paralyzing gas that has been made especially from him, we made for reasons as this or when he becomes violent. Because of his steel skin needles are useless and those take time to take effect."

_'So that's why I wasn't affected,'_ Isshin thought as he looked down at his orange haired son.

Yamamoto entered the room and everyone bowed – except Isshin, and Ichigo, whose frown just deepened. "State your name, Espada." He said coldly at the figure on the ground.

"What do expect me to say?!" Ichigo yelled at the sou-taichou, "I'm still Ichigo - get that through your insanely thick skull!"

Yamamoto ignored the remark, "What is Aizen Sousuke planning and the progress of his plans." it wasn't a question, it was an order.

"Tell him what he want to know, then we can go back home." Isshin squatted down next to Ichigo, wanting to support him in this matter.

"I can't dad!" Redirecting his attention directly to his father he spoke. "I almost killed you... How can I go home and face Yuzu and Karin!" The whips flashed before his eyes and he fell silent. "Disobeying means punishment, in _that_ room..." he said suddenly in a emotionless tone – it had been drilled into his brain after 35 'sessions' in the punishment room.

"Ichigo?" Now he was really worried, Ichigo _never_ talked like that. He only did once, and that was in the days after his mother died. He must have gotten some trauma from that place, _'What did Sousuke put you through?'_

"Punishment is exactly what you'll get if you keep siding with the traitor."

Glaring at the old man he could now clearly smell his power, that deliciously spicy aroma. "Like I give a shit about you or your punishment!" Ichigo spat. The paralyzing potion had long worn off and he was doing his best to keep still. "Why should I be scared of a few _shinigami_?" It's not like they had the same potions Aizen had for him.

Unohana came into the room, hearing the racket and knowing Yamamoto was somewhere in the 4th division hospital. "Please Yamamoto-sou-taichou, Espada-san. Don't make so much noise, you'll disturb the other patients." She tuned to face Ichigo, her expression unreadable. "I know the paralyzing potion has already been neutralized by your healing capabilities." The Arrancar just stared at her from his position on the ground, his eyes glazing over as his breathing became even harder with three captain-level shinigami in the same, small, room. Holding a bottle with blue/gold powder in her hand she added a drop of her own blood to the contents of the bottle, making it transform into a purple watery substance. "Drink this,"

Ichigo grabbed the bottle from her fingers and drunk it almost in one go. His breathing evened out and his eyes focused again. "What is this?" staring at the bottle he could feel the hunger subside – something that usually only souls did.

"A experimental substance. Judging from your calm reaction it seems that it's taking the hunger away." The orange haired teen nodded.

"Thanks,"

"I just want to ask you one thing, do you know what happened to my 7th seat(3), Yamada Hanatarou? He's been missing a little over four months."

Ichigo felt a stone drop in his stomach as he remembered what he had done after he came out of the white padded room. "I saw him... Being eaten, by another Arrancar, not a numéros." He couldn't say it, averting his eyes he stared at the interesting floorboards.

She noticed his reaction and knew he was lying, or at least partly. "Thank you," looking up Ichigo wondered why she would thank him. "Now I can arrange his funeral. My heart is at ease, knowing he didn't suffer or was turned into a Arrancar, like yourself."

"Because it is fairly obvious that you don't plan on cooperating, you'll be sentenced to death in thirty days. Until that time arrives you'll be taken to Senzaikyu – the white tower." He informed the shinigami present in the room. "The charges will be; treason, aiding the enemy in a attempt to destroy Seireitei and attempted murder on various Gotei captains."

"Yamamoto-sou-taichou!" Isshin began, "Please reconsi-"

Ichigo stood up and held out his hands. "Take me there." His voice was once again emotionless as he spoke. Who would care for someone like him, he would have to eat other people to stay alive like a cannibal. Aizen would probably try to get him back to his side with some scheme.

"Ichigo!" Isshin had to do something, he couldn't just sit back and watch his son give up on life like this,

"Dad, it's okay." He gave his father a faint smile, which looked even weirder than usual. The hole in his chest and partial mask on his head a large part of the reason. Ichigo only smiled when he didn't want to worry others or was hiding something. "Let's go,"

Several shinigami guards came into the room and stared at the Arrancar before handcuffing his wrists. Shackles around his ankles, connected by a chain long enough so he could walk. And a red ring around his neck which was connected to spears carried by the four of the twelve guards.

They took him to the streets of Seireitei and took a detour on Yamamoto's orders. Isshin wanted to give Ichigo his 'shirt'(4) to wear so no one would see his hollow hole, but he said no. 'This is what I am now, it's no use hiding something that won't ever change.' he had said before walking out.

Several shinigami had heard something like a uproar and went to take a look and saw a new prisoner being transported. It had the shape of human teen, and hole in the chest area – it was possible they had caught a Arrancar.

Ikkaku and Yumichika were among the many who came to see what all the commotion was about, seeing Ichigo walk willingly with the shinigami they looked at each other and began to wonder what had happened to make the cocky kid docile like this. But even with this much evidence they still found it hard to believe that the Ichigo they knew would become a slave to Aizen of his own free will.

Some of the shinigami that didn't know Ichigo started throwing things at him - varying from a crumbled piece of paper to rotten food which they got from trashcans around the streets of Seireitei. The 3rd and 5th seat from the 11th Division did their best to stop the throwing but it didn't help one bit.

"He's branded with the number '10'! It's an Espada!" Someone yelled and the throwing increased, more sharp object were aimed at the Arrancar, pieces of class or whole bottles of sake, stone and even roof tiles. "Long live the Gotei!" echoed from the crowd, watching and throwing at the enemy – too scared to face him head-on in battle.

"Isn't that the Ryoka that broke in shortly before Aizen betrayed us?" someone yelled. "So he was with Aizen all along!" The throwing continued, more and harder than before.

"Wanna stop it, Ikkaku?" Yumichika asked his bald – _shaved _friend.

"We can't -- look at how many there are." He wanted to stop them, but with this much shinigami it was useless to even start. "They're taking a detour?!" He suddenly exclaimed as the group with Ichigo and the guards turned right at the end of the street, away from the white tower.

"They're out to humiliate him, trying to kill him mentally." Biting the nail on his left thumb proved that Yumichika was agitated, otherwise he would never to something like this with his 'beautiful' nail. "This isn't how a true warrior should be treated." He turned around, not being able to watch it any longer. "I never thought Soul Society could sink this low."

Ikkaku nodded before leaving, searching for Iba(5), searching for a fight to get his mind off Ichigo's lax attitude. He couldn't stand to see someone so strong, looking so weak.

-- -- -- --

Over the next few weeks rumors emerged and spread like a wildfire. All were about Ichigo, how he betrayed Soul Society. Faked his own death to side with Aizen and become stronger so he could kill shinigami. He was said to have been brainwashed – others twisted the words and said that he asked Aizen to do that, so he could fight without regret. The proof they 'used' was the fact that Ichigo refused to tell about Aizen's plans; he really was loyal to that traitor.

Along with those rumors came the praising to the Gotei, how they outsmarted one of the Espada and forced him into submission – to have the Arrancar see that fighting against the mighty Seireitei would be useless.

-- -- -- --

For four weeks now, Ichigo had been sitting in the highest place of the white tower. The smell of souls was lesser there, the lower he got, the more hungery he would get. Not once had someone come into the room to give him that potion again, not once has anyone to come to ask about Aizen – Not that he expected someone.

Who would risk to come near a (very) hungry Arrancar with powers stronger than most captains, one who attacked his friends, almost killed his family. He laughed at the idea that Aizen would appear and offer him a way out, no strings attached. Ichigo knew better – everything that Aizen did had a reason, not always clear at the start or visible for others – but it was there.

Squirming on the floor he tied to ignore the hunger, his body weaker than it had been in the past three months. It had been far over four weeks since he had a decent meal, he was starving and his body getting weaker by the day. For once he was glad that he had as much reiatsu as he did. At least now he was able to move, something he wasn't able to after just fourteen days in that white padded room. The sound of the door opening caught his attention, even more when it was quietly closer shortly after.

"Ichigo?"

He recognized the voice as his fathers, but he didn't bother to get up.

"Get down here! Daddy says so!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you when things turn bloody." Standing up he cursed himself for staying in a lying position for days, his body and muscles ached. Using a single sonido he stood a few meters away from his father, leaning against the wall. "What..." His sneered as his breathing turned heavier and more ragged than ever before, eyes losing focus as all kinds of reiatsu reached his nose and mouth – he could almost taste them already.

Isshin looked at his son with sad eyes, why had Soul Society refused to give him food and water, just because he was a Arrancar? Not even by his own choice. He never hated hollows, not after seeing them like this. Throwing a candy bar at his sons feet he watched what he would do. "Eat it,"

"So... they don't... want me... to starve... to death..." The orange haired teen said, trying to sound sarcastically. After eying the strange green/white wrapper for a while he looked back at his father. "You know I can't eat thi.." But something was wrong. "What is this?" He could smell something from the bar, unwrapping it he quickly stuffed it into his mouth – hunger slowly subsiding a little bit. His eyes widened a bit as he wondered what it was.

Ichigo didn't see his father stare at him; seeing the confirmation of what he already knew – what his son would need to survive. "Can you walk for a long period of time?" A confused look from his son came his way, one hand on his well trained abs told him Ichigo wanted more of those bars – but unsure how to ask – if he should ask. "Here," from the folds of his uniform he pulled two more bars and gave it to his son who quickly grabbed it. "If you're done we're going home!"

Ichigo's head snapped up, mismatched eyes staring at his father. "What do you mean?" He was sentenced to death, left forgotten to starve, and feared for the connections with Aizen who might try to get him back – endangering others.

"Jyuushiro and a few other captains managed to convince Yamamoto that killing you wasn't the right option, so you're free to come home!" He finished happily. "Now leap onto Daddy's chest and cry your heart out!" There was no sign of his son, not where he just stood. "Ichigo?"

Back on the highest place available in the white tower the orange haired Arrancar laid back down on his back, staring at the ceiling. It didn't take Isshin all that long find him anyway. "I expected you to be happy to be set free."

"I don't really care anymore, dad." Ichigo said out loud, not moving his head or eyes to look at his father. "My life is over." It scared, and saddened Isshin's aching heart greatly to hear his son talk about death – how he didn't care anymore, but even more in the lifeless tone he used to talk.

"Why?" He wanted ask so much more, but after hearing and seeing Ichigo like that he couldn't form any more words.

"I don't have anything to live for, I can't go back to school, get a job or anything else."

"What about Yuzu and Karin – your sisters?"

"I've become a monster that feeds on the flesh and blood of human souls. How can you make them understand that – or the fact that I can kill them without remorse when I'm blinded by hunger?"

"You won't," Isshin said, his voice confident. "Even if hollows eat their family first – but you're not a hollow, you're a Arrancar." It hurt him to admit it, but the it was the truth. "You don't act on instinct alone, with enough bars before you go to sleep everything will be okay."

"How can you be so certain about things like that?" He was confused – yet somehow he saw the logic in those very words. Standing up he stared at Isshin.

"You're not alone.(6)" he said gently holding out his hand, waiting for Ichigo to grab it. "You have me, Yuzu, Karin, Urahara and others who are willing to help you find a way to live back home. Just don't give up like this." His voice broke a bit. "I don't want to see you dead twice."

Ichigo didn't know what his father had meant with those words. Grabbing his fathers hand, he was pulled to his a broad chest. Isshin was crying softly, overjoyed he could still hold his son in his arms like this. "Lets go home," Ichigo nodded in agreement and both walked down the stairs.

Somehow it was strange that there were no guards anywhere in sight, it had been swarming guards and shinigami around him and now nothing? Something was wrong. Even if he was broken out by his father he could always start a fight and allowed himself to be killed. He had agreed to try and find a way to live – even though he still believed he was better of dead. He did it for his father, not wanting to see him crying, not because of him.

"Daddy almost forgot!" he handed Ichigo his blade, Blanca Demonio, his boots, and his white coat – shoulders 'fixed' by the simple use of a white piece of fabric sewed to it. Ichigo accepted his only belongings and put them on before leaving the white tower and heading for the real world gate.

The entire way Ichigo had not seen any shinigami aside from his father, not even someone he knew came to see him off. Sighing Ichigo stepped through the gate, unsure what he was supposed to do with his life.

Arriving back home Ichigo found his room had turned into a storage room of sorts. It was filled with boxes and the cabinets started to gather quite a bit of dust. Isshin arrived a few seconds after his son in the room. "I'll go take these boxes back to the attic." he said as he picked up the box next to him.

"Dad,"

"Hm?"

"What happened after I lost to Yammy and was taken to Aizen-sama-" He stopped talking and his eyes widened, as his hands held his throat. "Why... did I say his name like that? He isn't my master anymore!" he punched the wall with his fist, leaving a deep dent behind. "Why can't I get away from him..."

Isshin wasn't sure what to do, Aizen must have drilled into his mind to be called like that – that even now he couldn't shake the habit. "After you lost, Sousuke took your soul-body back with him – you might have figured that out." He sighed as he remembered the moment he saw the body, it somehow wasn't as bad as before now that he knew Ichigo was alive. "Abarai saw the Espada with teal hair -"

"Grimmjow..."

"- standing next to your soul-less body, he claimed to have eaten your soul before you had chance to use that badge Jyuushiro gave you. Rukia-chan and Abarai 'chased' him away and we got a better look at your body, or what was left of it," He swallowed as the image was burned in his mind, not wanting to see that again. "It was broken, mangled and wounded beyond even Inoue-chan's healing capabilities."

"What..."

"At the time we were pretty sure you were dead, gone forever, so we buried the body next to Masaki's on the graveyard." His eyes turned sad. "Your 'death' was hard for all of us, especially on the girls. Karin has become even more distant, and Yuzu hasn't been doing anything else besides sleeping, school and housework."

Ichigo remained quiet as the information sunk in. In this world everyone thought he was dead. How could he just say 'Hi' after what he had done, how could he face them like this?

"But now everything will be A-okay!" Isshin said too happy, "Now that you're back, that is!" He left the room with a few cardboard boxes and vanished from sight.

"I'm gonna take a look around town," He missed the town of Karakura.

"I know you've accepted what you are, but just in case try to hide your mask and chest." Isshin had come back. "I'll come and take you back when your room is cleared from boxes." He smiled broadly – happy that his only son was back home. "Oh! Be sure to go to Urahara's first." He haded Ichigo some money, "He should have more of those bars for you to eat."

"Sure," it sounded sadder than he wanted as he walked downstairs to the clinic parts for some bandages. Ichigo was glad that he learned how to bandage himself when he was younger, he didn't want his father see the many cuts Aizen had inflicted on his body during 'punishment'. Even though his regeneration had made sure there were no visible scars – but Ichigo could see them, only him. Hiding the hole in his chest was easy, but his left eye and mask was a whole different story. Wondering why he would go through all this trouble he just bandaged half his face so it was hidden from view.

Finally outside he set out in the direction of the shoten, he didn't wanted to be confronted with the overly happy shopkeeper, he would just start to ask annoying questions. Urahara was already waiting outside of his shop, smoking his pipe. "I've been expecting you, Kurosaki-san."

"Then you know why I'm here,"

"Oh yes," The blond man with the white/green hat almost sang. "Isshin-san informed me about your interest in our latest product; Reishi(7)-candy bars!"

Ichigo just looked confused, he never knew what it was – just that it lessened his hunger. His hidden eye widened when his stomach gave a silent growl. "I don't know what they were called." _'Just act like nothing is wrong, the sooner I get it, the sooner I can leave this damn place._' he kept telling himself.

"Then please follow me inside, it would be strange for my image if I would be doing business with ghosts." before waiting for an answer he walked inside, waiting for the orange haired bandaged boy to follow him.

_'Just fucking great ...' _Grumbling inwardly he followed Urahara inside, the smell of 'food' even stronger inside the tiny room that was the shop. "Here," Ichigo gave the shopkeeper the money as soon as he was inside – wanting to leave as soon as possible – not wanting to hurt others.

Accepting the money Urahara counted it, "This will buy you exactly one reishi-bar, is that all you want?"

Ichigo had begun to sweat trying to hold himself back, "No.." He was breathing harder than before and it didn't go unnoticed by the observant shopkeeper.

"Then you'll have to bring back more money,"

"I'll pay... later.." Ichigo heaved, reaching for the candy bar, but it was taken back by the shopkeeper. Gone.

"I can't do that, my humble store isn't a bank where you can-" with brute force he was slammed with his back to the wooden floorboards. Staring into a partly unfocused eye of the person sitting on top of him, hands on his throat, the bandage around Ichigo's head fell away, revealing his black and yellow eye along with the remains of his hollow mask. _'So that's how it is,'_

"Please... I don't.. want... to hurt..." Sniffing he found the scent overwhelming, even if this man was inside a gigai. "Bars..." he was losing his will power, fast. _'Why bother with a small thing like that when you have a captain class shinigami pinned to the ground already?'_ Shaking the thought he started searching the others clothing for the bars and found one on the ground, still wrapped. The one Urahara dropped when Ichigo jumped him. Not waiting another second he got off the shopkeeper and ate the bar as fast as he could, his sanity slowly returning a bit.

Getting up Urahara kept his eyes trained on the hungry Arrancar."Isshin-san was right to thing that you might need those things to stay sane without devouring souls like a true Arrancar," he threw another five bars in Ichigo's direction who ate them as soon as he could. Not wanting to lose his sanity again. "Or should I call you; Diez Espada, Muer-" he stopped talking the moment a slim, cold metal blade connected with his throat, breaking the skin, not drawing any blood – that would just worsen the situation.

"Don't, _ever,_ call me by that name - _again_ if you value your life." Ichigo spat at the shopkeeper and withdrew his blade as he realized what he was doing. "I'll give you the money for the bars in the morning," and he was about to leave when the shopkeeper called him back.

"There will be no need!" he sang as if nothing had happened. "I'll give them to you for free – in exchange for my, and my shops safety," Ichigo walked back inside and picked up the bandage from the floor before wrapping half his head again, hiding his eye and mask. "Please come by every day for your daily dose."

Ichigo caught four more bars, just in case something happened he guessed. Bowing as a sign of thanks he let the shopkeeper know he would come back in the morning. Once outside he went to his high school – a place where he wouldn't be able to go to, he was after all, dead to this world.

Arriving at the building he easily jumped onto the roof and sat down on top of the small construction that was build around the exit to the roof. The view was exactly the same as on the day of his last day as a 'normal' shinigami – on the day he fought Yammy and his life changed forever. He touched the place where his Espada number was etched into his skin, then the hole in his chest – still hidden from view by the bandages. Lost in thought and mixed memories he didn't hear the school bell signaling the end of class and beginning of break.

"Kurosaki-kun!?" a female voice gasped. Ichigo turned to face her with his bandaged head. Inoue was almost crying out of happiness. "Is... Is it really you?" She walked closer, "Kuchiki-san said you were eaten by a Arrancar..." She cried, tears falling from her eyes. "Shall I heal your wounds?" Sobbing she placed her hands on the hairpins her brother gave her.

"It's fine, Inoue." What was he supposed to say. "I.."

"Kurosaki," Uryuu had entered the roof as well and pushed his rectangular glassed higher up the bridge of his nose, light reflecting in them. "Why are you dressed like a Arrancar and bandaged like that if you're _'fine'_?" Sado just stared at Ichigo, also wanting to know.

Ichigo shifted with his only visible eye, before he could answer the question someone else spoke. "Because he is, or am I wrong?"

"Renji..." Ichigo said half wondering why they would be here. "Rukia." She landed next to the red head, who was standing behind Ichigo. "Why are you two he-" He didn't resist when he was thrown to the ground in front of the others and pinned to the wall of the building they just stood on. _'Guess I wasn't supposed to leave after all.' _he thought dryly.

"What do you mean Abarai?" the Quincy and others were confused about what Renji just said. Without any words Renji tore away the bandages covering the teens head and revealed his partial mask and black and yellow eye. The three humans were taken aback by what they saw.

"Kurosaki-kun?"

"It's the price I payed for losing a fight,"

"Liar!" Renji yelled, pushing Ichigo harder against the concrete wall that started to show signs of cracking. "You sided with Aizen from the beginning! Broke into Seiretei to make it easier for him to execute his plans -- in exchange for more power and a high rank in his army." Renji was mad, mad at his friend for deceiving them all. "You faked your own death, went to Hueco Mundo where Aizen turned you into a Arrancar and – on your request – sealed your memories just so you could fight without feeling any attachment! After we finally caught you, locked you up in the Senzaikyu – you escape to tell Aizen what you discovered!"

_'Guess it looks that way to them,'_ Sighing inwardly Ichigo looked straight into Renji's reddish eyes, "If you truly believe that – kill me with your own hands. Carry out the order that the old man gave." His tone was emotionless.

Renji shook with anger and threw Ichigo back on the ground where he remained still, waiting for the red to draw his zanpaktou and end his life. The girls screamed as the blade was brought down into the teens chest piercing the chest on the place where his heart would be – if he had one.

The red was surprised at the little blood that flowed from the wound, so seemed the others. Murmuring followed soon. "What the hell did you do?" He let go of the blade as Ichigo rose to his feet, sword still through his chest.

"Remember what happened in Seiretei when we almost fought?" Renji's memory didn't seem to go back that far – judging by the look on his face. "You and a few others stabbed me, I healed instantly." this time he sounded almost accusing. Pulling the blade out of chest he pointed the point between his eyes. "This will work, for sure." it had to, hollows were slain by cutting their mask, their head in half – how was he any different from a common hollow anyway.

"Kurosaki-kun!" Inoue screamed as Renji grabbed Zabimaru's hilt and charges his attack. Ichigo closed his eyes.

_'Sayonara-'_

But there was no pain, no feeling of cold steel piercing his skull, splitting his head open like a watermelon. Opening his eyes he saw Renji standing confused, ready to kill – but his zanpaktou was missing. _'Where is ...!' _He sensed the one who had intervened with his path to freedom, freedom from his chains that bound him to _that man_.

"This is unusual behavior of you, Muerto."

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

_**(1**__**) **__Ichi sees himself as having two different people, Ichi and Muerto.  
__**(2)**__ Vice Captain of the 4__th__ division, Kotetsu Isane.  
__**(3)**__ Manga chapter 127 – When Hanataou is brought back to Unohana when Ichi is BanKai training with Yoruichi.  
__**(4) **__The top/jacket of his uniform, the black part.__  
__**(5)**__ Vice-Captain of the 7__th__ division, the guy with the sunglasses that 'fought' with Ikkaku during the SS-arc  
__**(6)**__ It's also the name of a 'song' from the Final Fantasy IX OST. It fits with the moment IMO, (Go to youtube and search for 'you're not alone zidane' if ya don't know the song)  
__**(7)**__ Spirit particles  
_

_**My Ramblings/Sort of Diary;**__  
__**(1)**__ 2562 words, that was the planning I had for this chapter. I re-wrote the chapter completely. I had this chapter before I wrote chapter 2,3 and 4. Which was before Secret Student-18, But I changed a lot and the chapter was useless. /sighs/__  
__**(2)**__ I have another open ending, I can't seem to close a story. Or it's just my overactive imagination... So I just made another chapter _**xD  
(3) **_Now I have 8 chapters total, though it's easy to guess who just arrived _**xD**_**  
(4) **Hope you enjoy!**  
**_

_**Please leave a Review!!**_

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	6. Broken Chains

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_Pass on the Number_

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_School started again an It'll be a busy time till December _**TT**_  
Not that school can keep me away from my life -- Writing FanFiction!  
_

_An Renji... He realized that he had been listing to rumors spread by people who didn't know Ichi in person,  
_But when he did think about it (yes, he can think) he saw that he was being stupid (as usual)

_**Disclaimer: I do not own bleach, Kubo-sensei does.**_

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_-- -- -- Chapter 06 -- -- --  
Broken Chains  
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All heads turned and Ichigo's face became enraged as the rest were just staring at the brown haired Arrancar leader in white; Aizen Sousuke himself. His reiatsu high enough to prevent most of them from moving. "Kill them all and you'll have proven your loyalty, or do you prefer _that_ treatment?" A small smile played on his lips as Ichigo's featured turned from rage to absolute fear.

The orange haired teen tried to shake the images of a blood filled circular room and two syringes from his mind as he reached for his own blade and got ready to cut his former master to shreds.

The others gasped when Ichigo leaped at the brown haired man, his blade stopped millimeters before the aorta on Aizen's neck, blade trembling. _'Why can't I kill him?! He is nothing more than an enemy!'_ he yelled in his head and failed to notice Aizen's next move.

A syringe with a fluorescent red(1) liquid was emptied into the left side of his neck and the Arrancar froze and dropped his blade – which clattered to the ground below. Caught in the memory of torture he sank to his knees before turning his head sideways, giving Aizen enough space to inject the second syringe and order the others to start hitting him with the diamond edged whips. He had gone through the whole process so many times that it came natural to do this,

"What's going on?" Rukia asked out loud as Aizen took out another syringe, this one with a silvery fluid inside. The needle heading towards the bared nape of the orange haired teen – who didn't move a inch. "Ichigo!"

Before the needle hit the skin the syringe was gone from his hand. Calmly Aizen looked up at the new arrival.

"Leave him alone Sousuke"

Eyes turned the opposite direction as Isshin spoke and had taken the syringe before it had a chance to be used on his son, who was still sitting on his knees like a rag doll. Aizen gabbed the border of Ichigo's white coat and tore the bandages away from his shoulder, revealing the number etched into his skin. Ichigo flinched as the bandage was ripped away, the potion already working, making his senses more sensitive than they already were. "As you can see – he still is a Espada. Disobedient subordinates deserve punishment, or do you disagree, _Muerto_?"

Ichigo didn't make any sign of life as he just sat there, staring in front of him – into nothingness. Pain still shot through his body like poison, the potion probably even stronger than during his last punishment. All eyes were trained at the Arrancar, waiting what he would say. "Yes..." He finally spoke, "...they should be.." his voice shook as the words came out of his mouth.

Aizen smirked triumphantly inside, his features not betraying anything. "Kill them," he ordered his puppet who grabbed hold of the blade he dropped earlier. Rising up to his feet the shinigami drew their zanpaktou, unsure of what Ichigo would do – not knowing what kind of effects the potion had on his mental stability that seemed to have left the moment the first potion was injected into his system.

"But," Ichigo spoke again, his voice less trembling than before. "I'm not your subordinate anymore!" Screaming he turned around, his blade stopped by a single finger. He cried out – his voice nothing more than raw pain, voiced through a blood curling howl, reminding everyone what he truly was inside. A sword was shoved through his stomach. The potion increasing everything he felt by a factor of twenty.

The red headed Vice-captain knew that Ichigo had been stabbed and wounded before, but never did hear the other cry out in agony like this. It couldn't be the wound, that was already healed. He hated this feeling; not knowing what to do – Ichigo had been sentenced to death for still siding with Aizen, but now he fought against that very man and got hurt badly in the process. Or so it sounded.

It seemed that Isshin wanted to help his son more than anything else, but at the same time he knew that Ichigo had to fight this out himself – no matter how much it hurt to watch his son cry out in pain, and with that voice.

Everyone was surprised when the orange haired Arrancar's grip tightened on the hilt of his blade and got ready for another strike – he refused to give up so easily. This time the slim metal blade clashed with another one. "Grimmjow.." who stood next to Aizen, "Ulquiorra," who stood on the other side.

"Just give up kid," the teal haired one said as he pushed Ichigo backwards. "You of all people should know it's useless – _especially_ with _that_ already in your bloodstream."

Mismatched eyes glared at the other three in white, "I just want to be freed from his control!" Ichigo yelled, pointing his blade at Aizen. "The only way to do that is to kill him – Or me." He didn't really have a grudge against Ulquiorra or Grimmjow, knowing how they helped Aizen 'turn' him into what he had become afterwards.

The shinigami just stared at Ichigo, slowly sinking in why he had been so co-operative about being sentenced to death. He had seen it as a release from the chains linking him to that man. When Rukia looked back at Isshin she could see he was about to cry – his son had to be dead in order to be happy – to be free. Then she remembered how Ichigo acted with his family, he did everything for them, but he couldn't leave his sisters alone and came back because his father must have asked him after he broke Ichigo out. This encounter must have made him realize that running away from this man – this manipulator was next to impossible.

"I won't kill you," Aizen suddenly said as Ulquiorra opened the garganta back to Las Noches. "Let's see how long you can survive before you come crawling back to me." His voice remained calm – his expression; unreadable. All three men left through the portal, leaving the orange haired teen to deal with his own problems.

Ichigo was left standing there, frustrated, shaking in anger. Aizen just wanted to see him suffer, Soul Society wanted him dead – He was dead to the world he knew. Who would miss him if he would break the chains and free himself. Turning the blade in his hands he pointed the tip between his eyes, wanting to skewer himself on his own blade.

Freedom had been denied again when his father had pulled the blade from his hands and kicked him down to the stone floor of the roof. He hissed and cursed at the pain shooting through his body, the potion still active – would be active for at least a couple of days. "How can you just throw away the life that Masaki has saved, not once – but twice!" Isshin yelled at his son who looked – if possible – even madder than before, or was it concealed sadness?

"You just want a clear consciousness!" Ichigo suddenly screamed at him. "You don't care what happens to me – as long as I stay alive. That's why you asked Urahara to make those things." He threw the reishi-bars he had left to the ground, in front of Isshin's feet. "You don't care how I feel about anything! What I was forced to become – what I was forced to do while my memories were sealed." He was breathing harder from the yelling but quickly regained his composure and took back his blade from his father before sheathing it.

"Ichigo," Renji began, but Ichigo ignored him as he walked to edge of the roof. "I'm... sorry about the things I said before," no response. "I'll go back to Soul Society and tell them what really happened and -"

"That won't be needed Abarai-san..." someone sang. Heads turned except Ichigo's. "They already know about Kurosaki-san's situation and agreed, rather reluctantly, that they were wrong and withdrew the charges,"

"Explain Urahara," Isshin cut in "what do you mean by that – _exactly_."

"I informed them of my latest creation; reishi-candy-bars, and what they could be used to for," confused looks filled the roof. "Kurosaki-san isn't on Seireitei's wanted list anymore, as long as he doesn't start to eat shinigami or human souls." He quickly glanced at Ichigo before continuing his story, "In exchange he still has to fight and 'dispose' of the hollows in Karakura and other Arrancar or Espada when they decide to come back."

Ichigo snorted – directing everyones attention to himself. "So they'll let me live if I become a lapdog – a tool they can control?" He turned around his face pissed and filled with rage at the ones who made that decision. "No fucking way! I'm tired of being used as a tool in this war!" Using sonido he left, no one saw or sensed the direction where the teen went to.

"So now what do we do?" Renji asked to no one in particular.

"Leave him be," Isshin said, sounding somewhat relieved. "That boy has been through a lot and need to sort things out on his own." he turned, ready to leave. "He'll come home, just give him some time." and he left with shunpo. Urahara had seemed to have vanished already.

"Can someone please explain what just happened?" The Quincy was visibly annoyed and didn't bother to try and hide it. Ichigo had been alive and joined the side they had been fighting for a long time already – But for some reason he had left and was being punished for it. That mask on his face... He had become a Arrancar. But if he wanted it or not – he wasn't sure.

"The day he fought that Espada – the day we though he died, his souls was taken by Aizen. He lost all his memories – became a Arrancar; either by force or free will. We don't know." Renji had started explaining, he now -more or less- understood Ichigo's situation and wanted to inform his friends with what he knew, or guessed. "He invaded Seireitei again a while ago, almost killed a few captains before leaving."

"After a few days," Rukia continued, motioning to Renji he should find and apologize to the orange haired one – who left. "We tricked him into coming to Soukyoku hill – alone. There we succeeded in releasing his forgotten memories." She stared down at the ground, unsure how to continue. "But what we also saw was proof that he was no longer a shinigami - he released his sword, just like the Arrancar do."

"Ano... Kuchiki-san?" Inoue asked, "Does this mean that Kurosaki-kun has to 'eat' like them as well?"

"I'm afraid so... Even though he still is himself!" The petite shinigami added, in the hope of cheering up the girl. "The same cocky attitude! But I have to find Renji before he does something stupid again." Bowing quickly she left.

Inoue started crying and both males could guess why. She had always liked Ichigo, from a distance – scared he would push her away if she got too close. She was overjoyed that he was still alive but had become afraid of what he had become. Arrancar. He could end up eating her if he wanted a snack. Now she would never be able to talk to him again – get close enough as friends.

-- -- -- --

When Isshin arrived home he got back in his gigai before going up to Ichigo's room. Luckily the girls were still at school, this way he had some time to figure out what to tell them. Opening the door he saw Ichigo's long white coat and sheathed blade lying on the bed – neatly folded. Isshin chuckled, _'Guess he did learn some useful things,'_ he reached out to put the blade and coat aside so he could continue to clear out the room – well the last few cardboard boxes anyway.

Thick reiatsu filled the room as a calm, yet angry voice spoke. "Don't touch it."

Isshin froze at the tone of voice his son just used. He turned around and stared at his son, or the hole in his chest to be precise. _'Where does the food go when he eats? Doesn't it fall out?'_

The orange haired Arrancar noticed this. And pulled the towel from his head and threw it over his father's face, his own hair still wet from the shower. "I'll put bandages over it in the morning." He had dropped the voice when he spoke again. "That way you don't have to stare at it."

_'He caught me.'_ Isshin chuckled at Ichigo's words, maybe they could still form a normal family – despite everything that had happened.

"Dad?"

"Hm?" Picking up a brown box filled with old stuffed toys.

"I'll try to keep sane and refrain from eating other souls, but I don't know how long I can. If I lose my mind again – either because of Aizen-sama or hunger – promise me one thing,"

He didn't like where this was going, not one bit, even less when Ichigo's face turned sad. "What?"

"Kill me."

Isshin dropped the box and tightly grabbed Ichigo's upper arms – who winced in pain at the rough treatment, the potion Aizen gave him doing what it was designed to do - increase pain. "Don't say things like that!" he roared at his only son, and let go when he saw Ichigo wince, wondering why he was in pain. Was his grip that strong or was there something else? "You're going to get through this, you're not alone!"

Mismatched eyes looked away, "Sorry dad, thanks." he walked to his bed, picking up his sword and coat before throwing them on his desk. "But if it happens..."

"We'll talk about 'if' another time, now I'm gonna take these boxes back to the attic and call Urahara about those bars and clothes to wear – I doubt you took a few spare ones with you."

"Just don't ask Ishida, I don't want to walk around like a Quincy – or him nagging that he designed the clothes I wear." Sighing he dropped on his bed and listened to his fathers footsteps die away. Getting back up he walked to his closet, where his old clothes lay, wondering if he would be able to wear them, or that humans would just see the clothes and not his body. Both were from a different plane of existence after all.

A certain fragrance in the air caught his attention, shinigami. Turning around he could now sense the two as well. "Renji and Rukia." He became madder as he thought back to the things that the red head said – accusing him; claiming he wanted everything to happen the way it did.

Before the red headed shinigami had even one foot in the room Ichigo was already staring at them, like a hawk watching its prey, sword unsheathed in his hands, ready to attack if necessary. "What do you want, _shinigami_?"

Renji didn't respond at first, he still had to get used to being able to look through Ichigo – a former friend, hopefully still one. "Ichigo, I'm sorr-" Rukia stormed past her childhood friends and kicked Ichigo on his shins – who winced and cursed at the contact. "Ichigo, you okay?"

"I'm fine, that fucking potion is still working..." he grunted as he rubbed his shin.

"A potion that increases pain?" Rukia said, half laughing, "That's impossib-"

"Exactly." Ichigo interrupted, rubbing his shin.

"Those things are impossible to make!" Renji added.

"Aizen-sama has them, he can create them easily with hougyoku. There is a fluorescent green one that triples the senses, it's used to question intruders and suspects."

"Remind never to get caught-" Renji said dryly, but shut up went quiet when Ichigo glared at him.

The ex-Espada continued his story. "A fluorescent blue one that increases senses by, what I guess, is ten times. This one is used for Arrancar or Espada that break the rules – and get punished. The one he injected me with at school was fluorescent red, and increases my senses even more than the blue one. Fucking annoying, still I'm glad he didn't use..." he fell silent "Forget it." He dropped down on his bed again, not wanting to talk about the punishment he got there. He closed his eyes, focusing on other things.

The shinigami just looked at each other – it was obvious that they wanted to know more, especially since Ichigo just stopped in the middle of a sentence. "Ichigo what didn't he use? The syringe that your father-"

Ichigo's eyes shot open when his overactive senses sensed a garganta being opened next to his house and who stepped out. Grabbing his coat and blade from the desk he pulled it on and jumped outside _through_ the wall without breaking it.

"He got used to that pretty fast." Rukia said dumbfounded, "What just happened?" She could still remember the day she walked through his wall for the first time and the look on his face.

"I see they managed to sew that arm back to your spoony body," Ichigo said smugly. The shinigami back in his room didn't see or sense anything and jumped down, standing behind Ichigo they looked at the new arrival.

"That's the fifth Espada, Nnoitra," Renji whispered to Rukia who was still staring at the weapon he was carrying.

"And it's the same arm I'm gonna use to kill you." he swung his massive weapon and stopped mere millimeters before Ichigo's throat – who didn't blink and narrowed his eyes. "Good eyes,"

"Last time we fought, you lost pretty easy – what makes you think you can win this time?" Ichigo was partly bluffing, he could beat Nnoitra with ease, but if he got hit he would be paralyzed and would probably lose, Quinto Espada didn't like to play fair.

"They reattached my arm, what happened with yours afterwards?" Nnoitra's grin widened when Ichigo stayed silent, "I know – I heard you scream from _that _room – the room where you went every few days – screaming, howling your lungs out." Ichigo unsheated his sword. "Embarrassed? Ha! You're pathetic Muerto!"

"You wouldn't even be able to stay alive..." Ichigo simply said, "You're too weak to endure Aizen-sama's punishment, especially after you've been drugged with the blue drug,"

Nnoitra's grin lessened as he knew Ichigo was right. "At least I wouldn't have to stay in my room for a few days, waiting for my arms to grew ba... ck..."

Ichigo moved to fast to be seen by the shinigami, the black haired Esapda saw him move, but his own body's reflexes were too slow to react, his weapon too big for a fast attack. He had cut off both arms, legs and walked closer. "Where did I leave last time..." Ichigo picked up the same arm he ripped off last time. "Renji, Rukia – could you please turn around?"

"Why-" She began but was interrupted by Renji, who picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Sure, for how long?"

"Not that long," The red nodded and left the area, Rukia complaining.

"Why are you taking me away!? Answer me Renji!"

"He doesn't want to be seen like that,"

"I know what he is, so what's the problem?"

"He doesn't want to be seen... _eating _that guy – he's probably hungry." Rukia stopped yelling at the red as she realized that Ichigo didn't want to be seen as the monster he had forced to become – shield his friends from the horror that was now his life, the rest of his nearly endless life. A very loud eerie laughter caused Renji to stop and put Rukia back on the ground, both staring at the direction they just came from. "What happened to him...?"

-- -- -- --

Back at the Kurosaki clinic Ichigo was having the time of his life, the potion coursing through his system normally increased the pain – but now it was increasing the taste of the reiatsu filled body he was eating. He felt invincible and didn't see the world around him, not even his father who had come to seek the origin of the loud laughter – only to find his son almost bathing in the blood his dead prey. Ichigo's laughter sounded insane and high pitched as he took yet another huge bite from the torso of the Quinto Espada. Isshin looked at the scene in horror – he knew this was how Ichigo had to feed himself, but seeing him like this made it all far too real. He'd rather stay stay ignorant of reality than see his son like this.

The body body was gone, as was it's blood. Ichigo was still giggling like a high school yaoi-fangirl as he straightened up and jumped back though his wall and making his way to the shower – still laughing. The potion had only increased the high he got from it, and wasn't going to go away anytime soon. He walked through the air, not wanting bloodstains on the wooden floor in his room.

Isshin's eyes saddened as he was forced to accept what his son had become. "Better think of something to tell the girls when they come home.." He walked back to the kitchen and sat down with a cup of hot coffee, hopefully taking his mind off of his son.

About thirty minutes later the two shinigami came back, didn't see a trace of the wounded Espada, no clothes, blood or even the weapon – everything was just gone, like nothing happened. Jumping through the window they found Ichigo lying on his bed, just wearing his dirty and bloodied white hakama; boots and coat lay forgotten on the ground together with his sword. All his clothes had dried blood on them and the orange haired teen was still giggling on his bed – the hole, mask and number clearly visible.

Taking a deep breath Ichigo sat up, and looked at the two in black. "Whatever Soul Society plans on doing – don't kill Espada's. It's not a good idea." He was now staring into nothingness

"Why?" For a second Renji wanted to yell that he was still on Aizen's side before remembering what had been said and done before.

"Number transfer," Ichigo sighed. "Thats's how Aizen-sama calls it. It's works as a fail-safe – if a Espada gets killed the number transfers to the one who killed the Espada. That's how..." He trailed off and touched his own number with his fingers.

"Why do you still call him -sama, and why do look like you're high?"

"For some reason I can't call him otherwise – I tried." He mentally cursed himself for it. "Remember the potions I told you about?" They nodded, "It doesn't only increase pain, but taste as well... When I eat something with a high reiatsu level it feels like I'm gaining new life – just imagine that food tasted twenty times as good."

"So.. what are you going to do?" the short one asked, not looking at Ichigo or Renji.

"I won't fight, not with or against either side. So don't bother asking me to help and fight off some Arrancar."

"Then that guy... Nnoitra?"

"I wanted t kill him for a long time already. I'll only fight when they pick a fight with me." Ichigo let himself fall back to the bed.

Both shinigami wanted to know what Nnoitra had meant by the things he said – but neither dared to ask. Looking at the teen it was impossible – he was asleep. Taking this as a sign of trust they left the room and closed the window afterwards.

Not long after the shinigami left Isshin came walking inside the room and saw his son sleeping soundly on his bed – one hand on his well trained stomach and the other under his head of unruly orange hair. The chest slowly going up and down as breathed – his face relaxed as he turned his head until the mask was barely visible. Isshin was hypnotized by the hole in his son's chest. He had always wanted to know how such a hole would feel when touched.

Inching closer he reached out his hand and touched the outer edge of the hole. Instantly Ichigo's eyes shot open, his body oversensitive to any form of contact – the hole already sensitive, even without the potion. Getting into a sitting position he felt something in his chest looking down he saw his fathers hand sticking through the hole in his body. Following the arm to it's owner he saw his father who just stared at him.

Laughing nervously he tried to get his his hand freed from his son's chest. When it didn't work Ichigo pushed his father away, almost moaning at the feeling the friction caused. Without waiting another second he began to 'fight' with his father like they used to do. Isshin didn't care he was getting bruised.

This is how this house should be – lively.

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_**(1)**__ Silvery liquid Stops his healing (specially made for him)  
f__luorescent green Pain x3 (normally used)  
fluorescent blue Pain x10 (Made for Ichi and his 'punishment')  
fluorescent red Pain x20 (the one Aizen used, doubled the dosage)__  
_

_**My Ramblings/Sort of Diary;**__  
__**(1)**__ I dislike his sisters, Yuzu and Karin. But they have trouble believing Ichi is back at first.  
__**(2)**__ I can stop the fic here, but I made up two extra chapters with idea's that didn't leave my mind alone.  
__**(3) **If you want you can stop reading here and ignore the other two chapters.  
__**(4) **Good or Bad ending? (Good one, stop reading - Bad one, continue)**  
**_

_**Please leave a Review!!**_

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	7. Old Friends and Present Enemies

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_Pass on the Number_

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For those who decided to keep reading, **thank you** - this is the first of the last two chapters of "Pass on the Number"

_At: 'benihime.chan' who are the first 4?_ **xD  
**(if you say 'don't ask' then that is what I _will _do,)**  
**

_At: 'crave-the-rave' and 'DurielZamoran' there are two more chapters, one aside from this one _**(n.n)**_  
_

_Thank you all for the reviews**!!**_

_Came to me while writing Chapter 5 of PotN. No idea where it came from. This fic was supposed to have 6 chapters_ **(x,X);;  
**

_Disclaimer: __I do not own bleach, Kubo-sensei does._

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_-- -- -- Chapter 07 -- -- --  
Old friends and present enemies  
__-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --_

It's been well over six months since Ichigo regained his memories and was living in the Kurosaki clinic again. He and his father had agreed to tell Yuzu and Karin that Ichigo had become a wandering spirit that wanted to stay here to take care of them. The hole in his chest was constantly hidden by bandages – not wanting to explain the reason behind it. The mask and his mismatched eyes had been dismissed as something that happened due to his violent death. They just accepted it - Yuzu did.

Karin still had her doubts, not whether it was her brother, but what he was hiding and why he would only eat those candy bars in the white/green wrapper. Maybe she was thinking too much – nobody wanted to explain things properly to her, even now.

The orange haired teen way laying on his bed, doing nothing. He had nothing to do anyway – he was dead to this world. Listening to the radio was what he did to pass the time, the song 'Lies' from Evanescence passed through.

_...  
__You will never be strong enough  
You will never be good enough  
You were never conceived in love  
You will not rise above  
..._

The lyrics were at aimed at him he told himself as he stood up and walked towards the radio.

_...  
They'll never see  
I'll never be  
I'll struggle on and on to feed this hunger  
Burning deep inside of me  
..._

Slamming the radio to bits with his fist he turned around, planning to go back to his bed and saw someone he didn't feel like seeing at the moment. "Grimmjow..." He didn't really hate the man, or had a grudge against him. "What are you doing here?" His tone was normal, somewhat downcast.

"Mission," he grunted as he walked further into the small room – their rooms in Las Noches were at least four times as big. "I'm supposed to kill the weak hollows to lure out the stronger ones-"

"And see if any of them are worthy to be turned," Ichigo finished lazily as he let himself fall back on his bed.

"That too, an they seem to be interfering with something else too, no clue what though."

"Have fun –"

"You're not coming? I know you like to _hunt_ and _chase_ your food,"

"I did – not anymore."

"You really should eat something good in a while, those candy bars will make you fat and weak."

Ichigo's eyes shot open as he almost sat up. "How do you know abou-"

"His _holiness_-" The Sexta spoke with sarcasm, "-knows everything. He's waiting patiently for the day you return to him, begging him. You know how he is. Besides it's boring without your screams echoing through the castle." He joked – which earned him a cero to the chest – back out the window.

Not long after the teal haired one hit the ground Ichigo jumped out of the room and landed next to the other, complete with coat and his blade. "Let's go, hunting alone isn't fun." He didn't notice his own eyes seemed too lit up as he thought about the hunt. He'd left a note in his room saying he was going out for a while.

_'He hasn't really changed that much.'_ Grimmjow grinned and both set off in the direction of a hollow they sensed, and smelled when they got closer. Ichigo's stomach growled loudly. It had been almost six months since he'd eaten Nnoitra and started living on those bars – going hunting made him realize just how hungry he was, how he was craving for _real_ food. Halfway the teal haired one wondered something, "You still know how to release your true form?"

The orange haired one stopped, "Why would you ask that?"

"Just curious – when I saw your released state, it was when you were losing you're mind."

Drawing his sword he spoke the words he had come to dislike; yet they were his. "Barra, Blanca Demonio," his mask became complete on his face, his tail grew from under his coat, spikes tore the coat from his shoulder and down his shoulder blades – his hands and feet became claws. Unlike Grimmjow's release it were only parts of his body that changed, not most of body and skin. He pulled the mask to the side of his head; revealing his mask-free face, but his eyes remained mismatched.

The Sexta Espada circled him and inspected the body, both still standing in mid-air – remembering each feature for future fights.

Without another word or motion Ichigo transformed back in to his normal human looking form. "I do remember, and my coat is torn again." His eyes shot open when a fairly strong hollow entered his senses, the grin on his face widened as he continued the hunt he began a little earlier.

Smirking Grimmjow put his hands in his pocket before following his former colleague. _'He probably doesn't realize that he'll never be happy here, not as long as he keeps eating those poisonous bars,'_

-- -- -- --

Back in the Kurosaki clinic Isshin came home and went to see how his son was doing – only to find an empty room, smashed radio, reiatsu residue of a cero blast and another Espada. Growing worried he searched the room in hope of some clues as to where Ichigo might be. That is when he spotted the note; _'I'm going out for a while –'_

Slightly panicking at the thought that his son might have gone back to Aizen for more food he removed his soul from his body to quicken the search around town.

It didn't take him all that long to find Ichigo – he was hiding his reiatsu as good as when he first became a shinigami. Simply said; he didn't seem to bother to hide it. Question was why?

Arriving on the scene his question was answered. Both Espada had killed a hollow and were ripping it apart with their hands – low content grunting noises could be heard from both of them as a sign that they were pleased with their food.

Isshin's heart seemed to stop at the sight before him. After he accidentally saw his son right after he came back home he never wanted too see Ichigo 'eat' like this again. Nightmares hunted his dreams since that day he found out about Ichigo being alive. Vomiting at the thought of what he saw was something he almost did on a daily basis, he had cursed Aizen Sousuke for turning his firstborn child into something that needs to kill and eat others to simply stay sane and alive.

He knew that this is what his child had forced to become, but seeing it made it just far too real for his liking. The hollow was gone – Ichigo had eaten the last part and was cleaning the ground with his tongue from blood he missed earlier. Something, no someone was missing. When he felt a blade being stabbed through his stomach area from behind he looked down and saw the crimson tip of a zanpaktou sticking out of his body,

"Oi, Muerto," Grimmjow said from his position behind the black haired shinigami, "Look at what I caught sneaking around,"

Turning around slowly Ichigo faced his father; skewered on Pantera. His own face covered with blood and somewhat at peace after a decent meal. Standing up he staggered towards the two others – eyes unfocused at the new life his body gained after suddenly eating something 'nutritious' rather than those Reishi-bars.

'_No...'_ Isshin was trembling in fear, the same feeling as when he was pinned against the wall inside the 4th division hospital. _'Please don't...'_ But this time he was surrounded by _two,_ _very strong_ Espada. Closing his eyes he waited for his death – not expecting it would be like this. He twitched when he felt two hands grab hold of his shoulders and a warm and wet tongue run along the length of his neck.

"Gimmme a taste too-" Grimmjow almost whined as he wanted to push the orange haired teen aside. Ichigo's head snapped up – eyes focused and dangerously narrowed. "Something wrong? I'm the one caught him sneaking around!"

The teen just grinned and started laughing and let go of his fathers shoulders, "You have your bloodied blade, I can have him." he growled, with that he shot a cero at the teal haired Espada who easily dodged it but was standing further away. Pantera in his hands, blade near his mouth licking the blood away.

"Ichi...go?" Isshin grunted as he slumped to the ground.

The scent leaving Ichigo's nose snapped him out of his trance... Blinking he looked around, seeing his father on the ground he quickly sat down next to him, remembering what he just did. "Dad...?" His voice shook a little as he spoke and cut off his own hand, letting blood seep into the stab wound in his stomach area, the wound was healing a bit faster than normal, but not instantly. The hand regrew within seconds.

Grimmjow was laughing. "You do realize what you almost did, don't you?" smugly the words came out his mouth in a tone that he proved he was planning something. "You wanted to protect your father from seeing your true nature, so you probably left him a note or something to tell him to leave you alone." Another grin when Ichigo's jaw clenched, "But he did come, and you would have eaten him if you weren't so dependent on those poison bars to keep your sanity in check. _Heh._ Now you see the effects of that poison; your hunger gets out of control after you tasted some real food!"

Without a second thought or any indication Ichigo transformed into his released state and attacked Grimmjow before he could do the same - "If you just stayed away and didn't tempt me to eat that hollow; non of this would have happened!" Grimmjow was pinned against the ground, large and deep cuts across his face and chest. Ichigo's tail was swishing from left to right his mouth opening slightly. Howling loudly like a hollow he told Grimmjow he was still hungry and just caught his food.

With a loud yelp the orange haired Arrancar was shot backwards against a brick wall by a powerful cero blast.

"I thought all that punishment would have taught you not to assault your colleagues.." Aizen had appeared alongside Ulquiorra – who had shot the cero. "Maybe you should punished again... Muerto." It wasn't a question, it was a silent command. He held out his hand as a sign that he should come back and accept his punishment.

Both Ichigo and Grimmjow stood back up. The mismatched eyes were hidden beneath the expressionless mask. Slowly he made his way towards the people from Las Noches. Isshin could do nothing but to lay there and watch how his son would leave him, again. Standing up was out of the question – the stab had injured his spine making him feel agonizing pain each time he tried to move.

"I'm done with you!" the orange haired Espada suddenly yelled as he charged a gran rey cero at the group and fired. "Just get out of my life and let me suffer! Isn't that what you want?!"

The dust disappeared and revealed the three completely unharmed. "What I want isn't to see you suffer Muerto – It's to see you come crawl back to my side as the loyal Espada you are inside." he spoke casually, his voice didn't betray any hints of what he was thinking or planning. The green eyed Arrancar opened the garganta back to Las Noches and stepped through. "I wonder what will happen when that bars you get from Urahara Kisuke will stop working," He and the Sexta Espada stepped inside the gate and faced the angry teen again. "With your healing capabilities its only a matter of time before that happens – I'll be looking forward to that day." the garganta closed.

"Fuck..." He cursed under his breath as he walked back to his father, wanting to take him to Urahara for treatment. Ichigo didn't bother to change back into his human form, he'd do that later. He did move the mask to the side of his head that showed a face with concern and deep thought.

"Stop right there Arran-" the red haired shinigami began as he spotted Ichigo and recognized him shortly after. "Why are you here – looking like that.." indicating the claws and tail.

"If you're looking for the origin of the power you just sensed that was me, Grimmjow and Ulquiorra." Ichigo changed back; not liking to be stared at by his former friends. "Or if you were looking for Aizen-sama – he just left." He picked up his father and left in the direction of the shoten with sonido.

Arriving at the shoten he saw that Urahara was already waiting for his arrival and prepared the necessary equipment. Of course he was – everyone probably felt his anger outburst at his former master. He handed his father over to Tessai before turning around.

"You're not staying to wait the treatment of your fathers treatment?" Urahara asked seriously, his face partly hidden behind his fan.

"I trust you," he said with sarcasm. "If he dies, you die." With another sonido Ichigo was gone.

"My, my – guess I'd better do my best then," Urahara almost sang as he walked back inside. "It's not like his wound is life threatening,"

-- -- -- --

Arriving back home Ichigo wrote another note for his father.

: I'm leaving this house. I can't guarantee everyone's safety anymore – today was proof of that.  
Thanks for everything and goodbye. :

He couldn't bring himself to call this place his home – he died in this world, didn't belong here. Placing the note on his desk he felt strangely nostalgic. Silently leaving the room he hid his reiatsu from the world as he quickly headed to the edge of town, only stopping at the sign 'You are leaving Karakura'.

"Goodbye," Ichigo mumbled to the sign and left the town where he lived his whole life behind him, not looking back.

-- -- -- --

Isshin's wounds weren't serious and hurried back home to see what Ichigo had been doing in the meantime, praying it wasn't something stupid. Arriving home he immediately went to his sons room only to find it empty and cold - he hadn't come back. Or at least not recently. Fatherly instincts kicked in as he became even more worried as to where Ichigo would run off to.

He wouldn't go back to Aizen – he wouldn't go to Soul Society or stay in Karakura. Which meant that he must have left town. Isshin knew Ichigo was strong enough to take care of himself. What he worried about most was his son's mental instability.

He was capable of ending his own life – what if he did that, alone, in a faraway place? Shaking the thought he waited till the girls came home. No matter what he did to pass the time, each time his thoughts would return to his missing boy. Pacing up and down the stairs brought him eventually back in Ichigo's room where he started searching the place for new leads – if he stopped by here first.

It was then that he noticed the note, picking it up he could see it was quickly written, while reading the note his heart seemed to break again and again. Ichigo deemed himself a danger and left, but to where and how fast?

He must have held the note for hours, read it hundreds of times -- unable to believe the contents. His daughters came home and took off their coat and shoes. Hurrying downstairs he told the girls he had been summoned suddenly to a doctors convention far away and that they would be able to stay at Urahara's for the coming week. Within the hour Yuzu and Karin had left for the shoten.

As soon as the door closed he had called Urahara and inform him of his intentions. Going back to his room he used the seal of approval he'd gotten from Ukitake to keep his family safe, after Ichigo's seal was destroyed.

He ran across the town for the whole week – searching every street, ally and even the neighboring town and cities. He couldn't put up 'lost' posters with Ichigo's face on it. Most people wouldn't be able to see him even if he stood right in front of them.

Sighing he refused to give up – but he was neglecting his living children. He had to go back

-- -- -- --

After about a month Ichigo had somehow managed to leave Japan and was keeping quiet somewhere in South-Korea. No one would look for him there. Despite he left Japan he thought hollows would stop appearing or at least didn't recognize him. The first time a hollow bowed to him out of respect he was confused but left it alone. The shinigami around the area still had a zanpaktou but were dressed differently. Ichigo guessed they were some sort of traditional clothes of this country.

His stomach growled as he dragged his feet through the forest he was currently 'hiding' in. He hadn't eaten since he left the Kurosaki-clinic – the place he used to call home before he died. He told himself that if he simply learned how to live without needing 'food', he could go back and lead a normal life. His energy and stamina almost gone. Losing his balance he fell flat on the sandy ground, face down. _'Who am I kidding... I'd die without food... I can never go back...'_ His mind accepted reality as the world around him faded to black.

Two pair of black boots and white hakama appeared beside the unconscious orange haired Espada. "He came quite far," Aizen spoke casually. "He could have gotten further if he ate along the way." The second person in white lifted the teen up and threw him over his broad shoulder. "Time to take the lost wolf back home." Opening the garganta both stepped through.

-- -- -- --

A few hours later Ichigo woke up back in Las Noches, back in his Espada room. He was too deep lost in his own thoughts that he didn't even realize where he was. After he took a shower he got a clean uniform before slumping down the hallways towards the cafeteria where he started eating his soulburger(1). On his way he didn't notice the various lower ranked Arrancar welcoming him back home after a long and (what looked like) a tiring mission.

"So you finally decided to come back – did you beg and kiss _his_ feet?" a curious and slightly mocking tone came from Ichigo side.

Looking up he duly noted it was the teal haired Sexta Espada, "What it is Grimmjow?" Something was wrong. Halting his thoughts he looked around better and saw the familiar environment of Las Noches. _'What the..! When did I get back here!?' _He didn't really care either. He was running away and this was the only place he knew where he wouldn't get hungry and wouldn't lose his sanity.

"Aizen-sama requires your presence," Ulquiorra had arrived and informed Ichigo as he was told before leaving.

"Whatever Cuadro," ex-Diez Espada complained before standing up and walking away – finishing his burger on the way back to his room. He didn't have any intentions to go and see _that _man. Arriving in his room he lied back down on the bed he never thought he would see again after regaining his memory.

It wasn't even ten minutes later that the door to his room opened again and a man with brown wavy hair walked inside and Ichigo didn't need to look to know who it was. Out of habit he stood up and sat down on one knee and bowed his head for his former master – still his master as he was unable to shake the habits.

"You have ignored my call, why?"

Ichigo knew he couldn't win if he started a fight against this man. "I didn't feel like talking – I'm just here so I can't hurt others." He didn't know why he was being so honest to Aizen, or why he was still bowing.

"I see – follow me, there is something you should see." his face and voice remained the same as he spoke, only his eyes showed he was pleased to have this boy back in his possession. Walking out of the room he sensed the orange haired one get up and and follow him – just as ordered. _Perfect_.

After a few minutes of walking they arrived in a white room. Ichigo's eyes widened when he recognized the chains on the ground and the ones laying in a pile neat the opposite walls of the diamond-shaped room.

"I believe I told you before – _disobedient subordinates deserve punishment_."

"I understand," the teen said in an emotionless voice as he started undressing his upper body and took his place in the middle of the room and bound his own ankles. Turning his head to the side he waited for the needle he knew would soon pierce his neck. _'If this is what it takes to keep the others safe, so be it.'_

Needles soon came and he could feel the contents quickly spreading through his body – stopping the ability to heal his own wounds. The ex-Epada could only guess how long this potion would stay active. A couple of days, a week, months? He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer either. The second soon followed when he turned his head the other way. This one w_as _fluorescent yellow and was designed to increase his senses by thirty.

"Crimson black binding, restrain." Aizen said calmly, the chains that had been lying against the wall sprang to life and tied themselves around Ichigo's wrists and started pulling on them in the opposite direction – back to the wall they were attached to. "Now I can punish you personally,"

If Ichigo didn't know better he'd say his master was pleased he could do the whipping and punishing himself. He didn't feel like responding – he didn't want to think about the whips or whatever Aizen had thought of. When Ichigo heard a sword being unsheathed he knew this was going to be different – more painful, whips couldn't hit the internal organs, blades could.

Without a warning Kyouka Suigetsu had pierced his left lung – with an excruciating loud and painful howl the orange haired Espada let everyone within range know he had returned to Las Noches and was being punished like usual.

-- -- -- --

Afterwards the unconscious teen had been treated for his injuries, bandaged and taken back to his room – without his arms, as usual. Those would heal when the potion wore off. The 'pain potion', as Ichigo has started calling it, had worn off already.

He couldn't do much else beside lying on his bed, he couldn't go hunting in the desert, train or just eat in the cafeteria. Times like this made him realize how much he needed his arms – and even more how lucky he was that they would grow back after a while.

Lying on his back he sighed as he tried to sleep – hoping time would pass faster. A pure white – almost glowing bird flew into his room and landed on his chest, precisely above the bandaged hole. "What the hell are you doing there!" Isshin's voice boomed from the bird(2). "I've been worried sick about you, now get your stuff and come ho-"

"I don't have a home.." Ichigo spoke emotionless at the bird transmitting his fathers voice. "..not after what I almost did."

"You're not a danger!" Isshin protested loudly. "Don't make me come there and drag you back here by your arms!"

"Good luck finding them," the orange haired one responded slightly annoyed as he turned to lay on his side and closing his eyes again.

"What..?" the bird said unbelievingly as it fluttered around Ichigo's body, seeing the missing limbs, before landing in front of the boy's face. "What happened..." it was obvious that he was worried.

"Punishment for leaving Las Noches without permission and ignoring orders." came the simple answer. "Al long as I'm here you and the others are safe from harm,"

"That doesn't stop them from harming you!" he was prepared to invade Las Noches and take his stubborn son back by force.

"It's normal for me..." Ichigo said uninterested, "...they'll grow back later."

"A little spy has entered our castle – I wondered how that letter arrived here unnoticed," Aizen has entered the room and was staring at the pure white bird. He had it in his hands before it had any chance to fly away. "I suggest you stay here and think on your options, Muerto."

As his master left the room Ichigo knew he had not much of a choice. He noticed even before Aizen had told him the bars Urahara gave him would stop working, he fought to hide it from everyone – only take one when it's absolutely necessary. But it hadn't been a good solution, and he was certain that Urahara knew it already. That guy knew everything he wasn't supposed to.

-- -- -- --

A few days later his arms still hadn't grown back, guessing it must be an 'improved' version he decided to take stroll through the endless white desert. He kept his reiatsu as low as possible – not feeling too confident that he could win if he was attcked.

After a while he sensed shinigami, getting closer he recognizes them as Rukia and Renji. Standing behind them he started talking, "What are you two doing here?" Isshin probably asked them to try and convince Ichigo to come back home.

Not sensing or hearing anything they both were startled to say the least, breathing heavily from shock Renji pointed a shaking finger at the Arrancar, "You..." Then he saw it was Ichigo. "What the hell are you doing back here?"

"What happened to your arms..." She heard Nnoitra talk about it, but never did she dare to think it was real – cutting off arms of those who wouldn't listen,

"Huh?" Ichigo half heartily joked, "I never noticed noticed,"

"Why are you back here? Did you crawl back to Aizen to tell him what you know abou-"

"No!" the Arrancar growled as he interrupted the red and looked away,"Its for the best, I can't harm anyone when I'm here."

"What are you talking about?" the small female stated in her bossy tone, "You have those bars from Urahara-"

"Those were beginning to turn useless, I needed more than one to 'fill' my stomach."

"There is another reason, not just that..." Rukia began before she was interrupted,

"The little shinigami has it all figured out hasn't she?" Grimmjow had appeared leaning on the other Espada's shoulders. He'd been ordered to follow Ichigo around and intervene if anything should happen. "You didn't tell them what you did, did you?"

"Shut up Grimmjow," Ichigo hisses warningly at the teal haired Sexsta Espada.

Ignoring the berry he continued his story, he couldn't be hurt by Diez, not right now anyway. "He almost ate a shinigami, his own father! Ha! You should have seen his face!" He didn't expect a head-but against his own neck from behind, he fell to his knees catching his breath, and thinking how lucky he was that his neck didn't snap. Standing up he could see the armless Arrancar was gone, probably ran back to his room like a lost and angry kid.

The shinigami were shocked by the news they just heard. Their friend wouldn't do that, never. Then again... He had changed a lot. They couldn't ponder long about the subject as the Espada had started attacking them lazily – 'chasing' them away from this place.

-- -- -- --

Back in the real world they were still a but dumbfounded how Ichigo acted after he had lost both his arms. But didn't that spoon like Espada say something like that? That Ichigo's arms were cut off regularly as punishment for something. At first they had trouble believing it, but seeing his arms really were missing made them true believers real fast.

They both decided it was time to go to Isshin and tell him what had happened. Ringing the doorbell the man of the house opened the door and looked at the shinigami. "What is it?" his voice didn't have the 'usual' happy and crazy tone to it.

"We were wondering what happened between yourself and Ichigo," Renji asked bluntly.

"Come inside," the shinigami entered the room and Isshin closed the door. "He ran away from here – claiming he was a danger to everyone..." the ex-captains voice broke a bit at the subject. "I tried to talk him out of it – convince he wasn't a threat,"

"Is it really true he almost ate your soul?" Renji blurted out, not meaning to, which earned him a kick in his shins.

"It's true, twice. But I don't blame him, I never could..." he was beginning to break down mentally as he spoke. "I just want Ichigo to come home, live a normal life – he's just seventeen!" Tears flowed freely across his bearded and worried face, he broke, "I'll gladly sacrifice my blood, arm or leg if it makes him happy!" Breaking down in a sob was all he could do now.

Rukia sat down next to the older man and tried to comfort him – it's all she could do. She couldn't help him in the way he needed, only Ichigo could do that by coming back home.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

_**(1)**__ It has some chopped up soul/shinigami (instead of the cow or pig in the 'normal' ones)  
__**(2)**__ A special technique with fuda papers – long distance transmitter, Isshin can see, hear and speak through the bird. Like an webcam xD__  
__  
_

_**My Ramblings/Sort of Diary;**__  
__**(1)**__ The original planning was 6 chapters, the way it looks now (when I type this) will be 8 chapters...  
__**(2)**__ September 9th, re-reading again _**xD**_  
**(3)** _Maybe I should change Grimmjow's name to Grinnjow, seeing he 'grinns' a lot in this chapter...  
_**  
**_

_**Please leave a Review!!**_

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	8. Peace

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_Pass on the Number_

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --  
The last chapter!  
And I hide behind something strong in advance.. Read to find out why.

I had fun writing this fic, though it was difficult an hard.. for the few who left a reviews. I thank you!!  
I'll be somewhat more relaxed after this is posted, now I won't have to try and figure out when to put up the next chapter  
**(n.n)**

Last chapter – Planning was 6, now it's 8 chapters.

Disclaimer: _I do not own bleach, Kubo-sensei does._

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_-- -- -- __Chapter__ 08 -- -- --  
Peace  
__-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --_

It had taken a little more than a full month for the anti-healing potion to wear off so his arms could grow back. Complaining inwardly at the time it took he made his way towards the cafeteria in the middle of the night; not wanting to be disturbed or found when he was raiding the food supply. Arriving in the kitchen he quietly broke the lock and went inside - there he searched behind the counter and found several raw soulburgers – which he started eating. Once his stomach was pretty full he quietly left the white palace where he opened and stepped through a garganta that led to the real world.

Unknown to the orange haired boy his master had seen right through him and had told the always loyal Cuadro Espada to keep an eye on him. In case the boy would do something stupid.

Stepping out of the garganta Ichigo stood already in front of the place he once called home; the Kurosaki clinic. Walking through the wall he arrived in his own room, he was certain that no one would be there. First he went to his sisters room and watched as they slept in peace. _'You'll be safer when I'm not around..' _he said to himself.

"Onii-chan..." the blond girl, Yuzu, mumbled in her sleep as she reached to grab something in the distance. The Espada turned around in shock as he was called by his sleeping sister, "Don't leave me..." tears flowed from here eyes as she slept, "Onii-chan come back!" She had been able to see ghosts for a while now and also saw her big brother hang and mope around in his room – eating nothing but those strange candy bars with the white and green wrapper.

Ichigo knew he couldn't go back to this life – he was dead, they were still alive. He felt his heart break (if he still had one) at the sight and squatted down on his knees next to her bed and gently took her hand, not wanting to wake her up. "I'm sorry, Yuzu..." he whispered at the girl. "But if I stay here I'm afraid I'll hurt you and Karin."

Yuzu twitched when her hand was touched by something, opening her eyes she could see the bright orange hair that could only belong to her brother. Sitting up she rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming, "Onii-chan!" she said happily before jumping at Ichigo's bandaged chest. "Where have you been?" tears still flowed freely from her eyes. "I missed you," her arms wrapping around his neck. "You came back to live here with us again!" she sobbed happily.

"I can't..." his voice was sad, he didn't want to leave – but he had no choice. "I almost hurt dad real bad... I'm a monster..." staring at one of his hands, as he held Yuzu with the other.

The blond girl starts giggling thinking her brother is joking – but one look at his partly masked face told her otherwise. "Onii...chan?"

Karin had woken up and got out of bed. She ripped away the bandages covering Ichigo's torso – revealing the perfect circular hole. "It's the same hole those monsters have," she said slightly accusing. "_What_ are you?"

The blond let go of her brothers neck and stared at the hole, and reached a shaky hand at the circle – thinking it was a (very) realistic tattoo. But when her hand went 'into' her brothers body she pulled her hand back quickly, wondering why there was no flesh or blood on contact. "Onii-chan?" he voice was shaking.

"Tell me what happened!" Karin yelled, her eyes filled with worry as she spoke. "Goat-face refused to talk about it or explains who are the people in black _or _white!"

Ichigo sighed as he thought about what to say to them. "The people in black are called shinigami. They're supposed to protect the living humans, the 'good guys' so to say. The ones in white are called Arrancar, the 'bad guys'." he decided it wasn't needed to tell them that the 'bad guys' would need to eat human souls.

"But you're a shinigami, just like dad – so why the white clothes?" Karin asked, finally she was getting some answers.

"I once lost a fight and the bad guys took me prisoner and used me as guinea pig – tried to make me one of them." He touched the hole in his chest. "...and they succeeded," he said, looking away, showing the mask-free side of his face.

"Ichi-nii..."

"Onii-chan..."

Both his sisters hugged him tightly, "I don't really care about the whole good/bad situation," Karin said suddenly as Yuzu just started crying again, "You're still my idiot brother.."

"Go back to bed," Ichigo told them as he pried their hands from around his neck and chest, "You'll have school in the morning," he tucked them in and kissed their forehead, "I doubt your teacher will believe you if you say your dead brother kept you awake. I still need to talk to dad. Sweet dreams." Closing the door behind him he headed downstairs, _'...and Goodbye.'_ Sensing Isshin downstairs in the living room he went there. "Dad, I..." he began quietly, not wanting to startle his father.

Isshin's head snapped up at the voice and tightly embraced his son, leaving the almost empty sake bottle on the couch, forgetting to turn off the home video's he had been watching. The son he thought he had lost forever was here! Back home! Remembering that said son was missing his arms last time he saw him, he was very surprised to see them firmly attached to his shoulders. "Your arms..." He said unbelieving before tears began to well up in his eyes.

"They grow back after that silver potion wears off, it's my hollow ability." He looked away, he knew what he was and that there was no way back. "Dad, I'm sorr-"

"You're here to stay right!?" Isshin said happily, interrupting his son "Please tell me you are.." His voice was serious and filled with sadness. "I'll give you as much blood as I can spare, or even my arm or leg – I'll do anything. Anything at all! Please don't leave me again..." he sank to his knees, real tears flowing down from his dark brown eyes that radiated nothing but the helplessness he felt.

Ichigo hadn't realized he was crying after seeing his father act – beg like that. "Don't say that..." His own voice was shaking as a single tear rolled down his face from his normal brown eye. "I don't understand... Why would you go so far for a monster who lives on the flesh of others?" He didn't know what to think anymore.

"You're NOT a monster – you're my son!"

"I almost killed you – _twice_!"

"But you didn't!"

The orange haired Arrancar shed even more tears. "I don't belong here anymore! I should have stayed in Las Noches – I can't harm anyone as long as I'm there,"

"They cut off your arms!"

"It's a small price to pay for everyone's safety... I won't follow Aizen-sama, just forget about me and let me suffer..."

"What kind of father would let his own son suffer?"

"Dad.." Ichigo stood back up as he wiped away the water on his face, "Remember the _'if' _we talked about after you brought me here after breaking out of Soul Society?"

Isshin looked a bit confused before he remembered – Ichigo asked to kill him if things took a turn for the worst. "You can't be serious..." his heart was squeezed tightly inside his chest.

"I am." the ex-Espada spoke serious, "If Aizen-sama brainwashes me again or I lose myself to hunger – kill me."

"I refuse to kill my only son!"

"You'll have to!" Ichigo yelled back, "I'm a hollow! Hollows go after their family first! As a former shinigami captain you should know that better then most!"

"I believe in you, Ichigo." Isshin stated full of confidence.

Ichigo sank to his knees in the ground, "I don't even understand human emotions anymore..."

Isshin sat down next to his shaking son and embraced him as only a father could, "You're still human inside – if you weren't, you wouldn't be able to cry like this," rubbing his sons back he could feel him calming down, "Just rest here for a while – this place will always be your ho-"

Isshin stopped talking the moment he felt a slim cold metal object was thrust through his back, exiting at the front where it pierced his son's chest. He could feel his warm blood leaving his body – staining his own and Ichigo's clothes crimson.

The orange haired one didn't really feel the blade but smelled something deliciously, looking at his fathers widened eyes he saw they were shocked in fear. Looking behind Isshin to see why he looked straight into bright green eyes. _'Ulquiorra.'_ His chest felt wet and when he looked down he could see the blade and a lot of blood, _'Oh no...' _Slowly his eyes turned hazy as he started to lose control – fast. That blood already on his body, just one lick and it would become one with his body.

"Eat," Ulquiorra said coldly at the Diez Espada, "Aizen-sama's order." He pulled his blade back and shook it free of blood before sheathing it.

Ichigo's eyes regained their focus at the mention of Aizen's name – and what he was ordered to do. Releasing his father quickly he covered his nose and mouth in the hope to block out the sensation. If he hadn't eaten before coming here he would have lost it already. It had already been too late – his clothes stained and smelled like the spicy food he loved when he had been alive. Drawing his own blade he slashed at the intruder and 'chased' him outside where the the smell was almost gone, thanks to the rain and mild wind.

"I'll kill you for this," the angry teen growled at the green eyed one before using sonido to hurry towards Urahara. Ulquiorra followed him – much to his annoyance. "Get lost asshole!" he yelled firing a cero at his pursuer, who canceled the incoming shot with a cero of his own.

The blond shopkeeper was already standing outside, zanpaktou drawn, released and ready to fight the Espada's that were coming his way, fast.

The orange haired one noticed this too and started yelling at the dark green clad man, "Urahara! My dad's wounded and -" Blocking Ulquiorra's blade with his own he shot a bala and missed the other. "I can't get close!" Somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered why he came to this man first. Isshin's wounds weren't life threatening. But his mind was far from calm and collected at the moment. "I'll keep him here – GO!" He was glad to see Urahara was gone,

"You think this will change your need for your fathers soul?" Ulquiorra asked simply as he dodged another rage-induced slash. "Impossible. He is _living_ family – something that is impossible to have as a hollow – you can't function normally as long as they are alive."

"Barra, Blanca Demonio" Ichigo whispered threateningly as he released his true form, pulling his mask to the side he moved his tail to see if it was really there – swishing it from left to right as he silently counted the seconds before attacking. A blood curling howl was all the preparation the green eyed one got before two strong claws and tail restrained his movement.

Moving his head to the side the orange haired Espada bared his teeth – ready to feed on the skinny body he was holding in his grasp. This would be his punishment, his death.

Isshin came running into the street, shinigami uniform and zanpaktou drawn, Urahara following closely. "Ichigo!" said boy's father yelled upon the sight of his son's released state. His wound had already healed, it wasn't lethal – but Ichigo had panicked (for obvious reasons) and everything looked far worse than it was.

Upon the sight of his 'healthy' father Ichigo relaxed his grip for only a second – which was enough for Ulquiorra to cut off the tail which was holding him. Screaming the tail quickly regrew as the cut off part vaporized. Even more enraged the orange haired one charged Cuadro again. The the wind and rain died down, allowing Ichigo to smell the blood on his soaked clothes again – the scent seemed stronger than before. Cursing he opened the garganta back to Las Noches making sure he dragged Ulquiorra with him by wrapping his tail around the others pale neck. As he stormed through the gate closed behind them

"Ichigo!" Isshin yelled even though he knew he wouldn't be heard. Turning around he saw Urahara hiding his face behind his trusty fan looking glum. "What happened?" he asked the shopkeeper seriously, despite he knew the answer almost for certain.

"He came to my shop in a panic – saying you'd been hurt." the shopkeeper knew he shouldn't joke or act 'funny'. "Kurosaki-san also said that he couldn't get close. I suppose he meant his '_need_',"

The black haired ex-shinigami captain knew this – but even after hearing someone else confirm it wasn't enough. His mind lost in deep thought he left – back home. The girls would wonder what was going on with his lifeless and bleeding gigai.

_'You can no longer help him, Isshin-san,'_ Urahara said downcast in his own mind before going back to his shoten.

-- -- -- --

In Las Noches Ichigo started attacking Ulquiorra with all he had, he just wanted to say goodbye – but Cuadro had to turn it into a disaster. "Get here Ulquiorra!" He roared as he was chasing the green eyed one through the eternal white marble hallways. Lower ranked Arrancar stepped aside or hid when the two Espada came storming past.

"Coward!" The released Espada roared as he missed his target yet again. Growing more furious by the second he started firing cero's – hoping to catch him while he dodges.

Ulquiorra had other plans; by taking a detour to his destination he let the enraged teen believe he was being chased in a random direction. It had become somewhat troublesome now that the boy had started destroying the hallways. Aizen had foreseen Ichigo's actions and had ordered Ulquiorra to take him back here and make the teen see that it was useless to flee.

Arriving at the door the green eyed one came to a halt and drew his sword, "So you finally decide to fight me-" Ichigo's eyes shone with eagerness that he finally would be able to kill him. Tail swishing happily as he dug the claws on his hands and feet into the ground.

The door behind Ulquiorra opened and Ichigo stopped all movement, "Aizen-sama..." his voice shaking as he realized he had been led here on purpose. _'Shit..'_ Turning back into his 'sealed' state he bowed for his master and left with sonido – going back to his room.

"Shall I retrieve him?"

"No need," Aizen said calmly, "Even he must see that it's useless to go back. Knowing Muerto he'd stay in his room refusing to eat,"

"Aizen-sama?"

"Sent a few disposable Arrancar to try and force-feed him. That should be somewhat amusing to watch." He turned around, back into his room. Ulquiorra left to follow the order given to him.

-- -- -- --

Ichigo hadn't eaten in months – killed everyone who tried to force feed him. Aizen didn't mind – the boy would pass out from hunger and do what all hollows do when hungry and acting on instinct; Kill their family. And that was exactly the point Ichigo had now reached.

The pain in his body seemed to be killing him mentally – the hunger unbearable. He had refused to eat, wanting to die – too ashamed to do it himself. Drowning in his own trouble he forgot the tiny little fact that hollows attack their own family first, otherwise he would have eaten the burgers in the cafeteria to prevent that.

The world turned black and the orange haired Espada fell to the ground, twitching in unseen pain. As the tremors lessened the body body got back on his feet – eyes hidden under his unruly orange hair. His arm moved forward and clicked open the air, creating a garganta to the real world. Sword sheathed and in his sash he stepped through.

Arriving on the other side he looked at the building with empty eyes, his brain out the window, his body controlled by hunger and instinct alone. Walking over a unseen path the Arrancar passed through the wall of the Kurosaki-clinic, his reiatsu non-existent. It would be troublesome of his food sensed him and got away.

Walking through another few walls he arrived in a large room with in the middle a king-sized bed with a adult male. His chest was bared – probably because of the summer heat, the Espada didn't care.

Crawling onto the bed the Diez Espada stuck out his tongue and ran it along the muscular chest – tasting his prey before devouring it. Opening his mouth to bite down and sink his teeth in the deliciously spicy flavored flesh he didn't see the fist hitting the side of his head.

Isshin had been sleeping until something wet traveled over his body, as he opened his eyes he could see the bright orange hair of his son hovering above his chest, mouth opening wide, without another thought he had slammed Ichigo against the wall of his room. The girls were still fast asleep – he had mixed some strong sleeping pills with their drinks so they would get a good nights sleep, which they didn't get after Ichigo rushed off last time. "Ichigo...?" He wasn't completely sure what was going on.

But the moment said son looked up, his life-less eyes trained on his father, waiting to see who would move first. That moment Isshin felt his heart break, knowing his son had become nothing more than a slave of his own instinct. As fast as he could he reached for the shiny golden badge that allowed him to free himself from his gigai. Standing next to the bed in his black uniform there was no sign of the hungry Espada.

Ichigo had gone to his sisters room and released along the way, his tail swishing happily as he saw the two sleeping girls, the grin behind his mask grew as he walked closer. But he howled loudly when the shinigami had cut off a large part of the tail to redirect the attention to himself.

Turning around the Arrancar growled in annoyance at the shinigami, his tail already regrown, the one on the ground already disappeared into nothingness. A blood curling howl was all the warning he gave before rushing at the man in black.

He didn't know what to do, his son had lost his mind – he was about to be killed. His zanpaktou seemed to move on his own accord – protecting it's master – as the cold metal pierced the mask right between the mismatched eyes - which widened in shock before turning gentle and peaceful. "No..." Isshin's voice shook in disbelief of his own actions. "I didn't want this..."

"Thanks dad," Ichigo said in his own gentle voice – he sounded relieved, relaxed. The striped mask fell away, revealing the boy's original face – even his black and yellow eye returned to normal.

"Ichi...go..." Isshin's voice broke as he watched at his son's face at peace, his zanpaktou still between those gentle chocolate brown eyes he had been proud of since the boy had been born. Too afraid to pull out the blade. Too scared the peaceful look would disappear again.

"The chains are finally broken, and everyone is safe again..." he was happy, glad that it was all over. The pain and all the memories had been too much for him, the constant fear of harming those he wanted to protect not helping much in that aspect. "Now I can rest,"

"B-but... You're..." the words became stuck in his throat as he saw the legs slowly starting to vanish.

"Dad, it's okay," his voice was comforting as he spoke to his father, not even noticing the blade that went straight through his head. "I'm just a danger for you and everyone else," He chuckled a bit. "I'm just a monster,"

"You're no-" but he stopped talking when Ichigo's arms wrapped around his neck in a loving manner, like only a child could.

"Hush... I'm tired." Ichigo said as he closed his eyes, "Please let me sleep for a bit..." He placed his head next to Isshin's on his shoulder and his body faded away completely, Tears started flowing freely from the shinigami's eyes, the blade falling to the ground with a loud clatter.

"This isn't what I wanted.." Standing up he kept crying – wobbling downstairs and walked to the small memorial altar of his son. Lighting a strawberry scented candle and some incense, before clasping his hands together and started praying; praying that Ichigo wouldn't have to suffer this much in his next life. He sat there for hours – just praying, even though he knew he would probably go to Soul Society or be reincarnated somewhere on earth.

As the sun peered through the windows a few hours later Isshin was laying curled up into a fetal position clutching a photo of his son like it was his life – which in a way it had been. Even if he was asleep he kept repeating 'I'm sorry' over an over again like mantra. He had kept praying the whole night for Ichigo's next life and for his own forgiveness – forgiveness that might never come.

_**-: The End :-**_

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_**(x) **__No number thingy's!__  
_

_**My Ramblings/Sort of Diary;**__  
__**(1)**__Isshin won't get a number and lose his mind – Aizen's 'fail-safe' doesn't work on shinigami.  
(Even if he made a better one, Ichi wasn't 'injected/modified' with it)__  
__**(2)**__ I do like ending, it's something else aside from the 'happy' ending _**(****n.n****)**_  
**(3)** It's done! I can't believe it!  
**(4)** Please don't kill/flame me for killing Ichi!  
**(5) **Don't expect anything new for a while, even if I have chapters. Cuz FFN changed some things and now the layout of fic's look like crap - so I'll be fixing that first.. See my profile for more info.  
_

_**Please leave a Review for the last time!!**_

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